Posted on 01/12/2009 4:10:10 PM PST by GOPGuide
Babies exposed to high levels of the male hormone testosterone in the womb have an increased risk of autistic traits, groundbreaking research has found.
The study found children who were exposed to higher levels of the chemical during foetal development are more likely to display autistic traits from an early age.
The discovery takes prenatal screening for autism a significant step closer, raising the possibility that mothers could terminate babies with the condition.
It also, more controversially, opens the way for a cure.
Researchers made the discovery after monitoring the progress of 235 children whose mothers underwent amniotic fluid tests when pregnant.
Study leader Professor Simon Baron-Cohen, from Cambridge University, one of the world's leading experts on autism, called for a debate on the ethical implications.
He said: 'If there was a prenatal test for autism, would this be desirable? What would we lose if children with autistic spectrum disorder were eliminated from the population?
'We should start debating this. There is a test for Down's syndrome and that is legal and parents exercise their right to choose termination, but autism is often linked with talent. It is a different kind of condition.'
The paper released today is such a significant step forward because the children in the study are now aged between eight and 10 and are old enough to be psychologically assessed using two separate autism test ratings.
Scientists found a clear link in both tests between higher testosterone levels when the child was in the womb and autistic traits, reported the Guardian.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
There is a 5-8% false positive rate on Down’s screening, depending upon the method used. Over 90% of children claimed to be affected by Downs are aborted. You can do the math from there...
I know four positive downs test babies. None of them have downs.
Doesn't seem, off the bat, that that could happen with a trisomy defect, but it might be another of those things that happen with a "missing twin"?
Very sad when young'uns with intellectual deficits are in the hands of parents and doctors with ethical deficits.
New tests underdevelopment are 100% accurate at predicting downs.
As I understand it, human sexual orientation may be a multifactorial complex. Human sexual behavior also involves choice.
This is insane.
I thought autism was more of a clinical diagnosis.
You have to observe the behavior, and even then - there is a varying level of severity (spectrum).
And I think attempting to tinker with hormones may result in unintended consequences.
I just googled it and 5-8% of positives are false.
“As I understand it, human sexual orientation may be a multifactorial complex. Human sexual behavior also involves choice.”
Well yes, but is hard to separate orientation from behaviour.
This is puzzling. One of the largest contributing factors to autism and retardation is now known to be “Fragile X Syndrome”.
This can be determined through a DNA test. And while it shouldn’t be used as a reason for abortion, it is important to be aware of it in couples who are hoping to have children. The rules are straightforward:
“Males with the fragile X cannot transmit it to any of their sons (since males contribute a Y chromosome, not an X, to their male offspring), but will transmit it to all of their daughters, as males contribute their X to all of their daughters.
Females carrying one copy of the fragile X can transmit it to their sons or daughters; in this case each child has a 50% chance of inheriting the fragile X. Sons who receive the fragile X are at high risk of intellectual disability. Daughters who receive the fragile X may appear normal or they may be intellectually disabled, usually to a lesser degree than boys with the syndrome. The transmission of fragile X often increases with each passing generation. This seemingly anomalous pattern of inheritance is referred to as the Sherman paradox.”
I’ll be sure to let GOPGuide know.
Right you are. Lord yes, it's hard.
But all of us manage to command our behavior at least intermittently, or some of the time, or most of the time, even when our drives and appetites seem to want to be commanding us!
People are already aborting fetuses so they won't have female children, and that doesn't seem to make liberals' heads explode. Somehow they manage to justify everything.
Thank you.
But that doesn’t mean there is a “gay” gene as a matter of normal development, correct?
Absent this abnormal event, the baby would be either male or female, not male, female or gay,correct? So, to be fair, it would be a defect, correct? I am not a biology guy, so that is why I am asking.
(I did in university have a friend that was a twin. His brother was about as gay as they come and my friend went nuts to make sure he was never confused with his brother. He would always say, to people that said they were alike and he was gay, too, he would comeback and say his brother was straight but chose to be gay. So, who’s to tell?)
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation
Overall, the environment shared by twins (including familial and societal attitudes) explained 0-17% of the choice of sexual partner, genetic factors 18-39% and the unique environment 61-66%. The individual’s unique environment includes, for example, circumstances during pregnancy and childbirth, physical and psychological trauma (e.g., accidents, violence, and disease), peer groups, and sexual experiences. [...] In men, genetic effects explained .34–.39 of the variance, the shared environment .00, and the individual-specific environment .61–.66 of the variance. Corresponding estimates among women were .18–.19 for genetic factors, .16–.17 for shared environmental, and 64–.66 for unique environmental factors.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Biology_and_sexual_orientation
Overall, the environment shared by twins (including familial and societal attitudes) explained 0-17% of the choice of sexual partner, genetic factors 18-39% and the unique environment 61-66%. The individual’s unique environment includes, for example, circumstances during pregnancy and childbirth, physical and psychological trauma (e.g., accidents, violence, and disease), peer groups, and sexual experiences. [...] In men, genetic effects explained .34–.39 of the variance, the shared environment .00, and the individual-specific environment .61–.66 of the variance. Corresponding estimates among women were .18–.19 for genetic factors, .16–.17 for shared environmental, and 64–.66 for unique environmental factors.
“even though we don’t know exactly where and what specific genes are involved in height and intelligence and homosexuality.”
Genes for height and intelligence yes, a “gay” gene no. It’s already been discussed and there isn’t one.
Just wait until they identify the gay gene and propose abortions. The gay community will suddenly become pro-life. And, what would happen to musical theatre?
What does this mean for the children of the “pregnant man”? Are they more likely to have autism due to levels of testosterone high enough to grow a beard and chest hair?
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