Researchers link assisted labour to autism

Assisted labour during childbirth can raise the risk of autism by more than a third, research has shown.

The link is especially strong for boys, and is comparable with other autism risk factors, such as early birth and having an older mother.

Scientists who studied data on around 625,000 births found the chances of a boy developing the behavioural disorder increased by 35% if his mother underwent two forms of assisted labour.