Mother's quest could help solve autism mystery

[Auggie]

San Francisco Chronicle / July 24, 2013

This copyrighted story describes the efforts of Jill Escher, the mother of two autistic children, and her quest to discover what "could have gone wrong." Three years ago, explains the article, she discovered her mother had sought help conceiving at a fertility clinic. From the story:

As she grew in her mother's womb, Escher was bombarded with synthetic hormones and other drugs.

Scientists know that some chemicals can alter developing embryos and fetuses, which can lead to disease later in life.

But in recent years, they've learned that the damage doesn't necessarily stop there. Something a pregnant woman is exposed to may alter not just her children but also her grandchildren and perhaps all subsequent generations.

This is how the "germ line" hypothesis works: Cells in what is called a germ line form eggs in the female fetus and precursors to sperm in the male fetus. The germ line establishes an unbroken link from generation to generation. But when a pregnant woman is exposed to chemicals, the germ line may be altered. That would mean that eggs developing in the fetus, the future third generation, could be changed, leading to abnormalities or disease.

LINK: http://www.sfchronicle.com/health/article/Mother-s-quest-could-help-solve-autism-mystery-4682498.php (subsctription may be necessary)

The story specifically mentions a synthetic estrogen called DES, or diethylstilbestrol. It was prescribed to up to 10 million women from 1938 to 1971 in efforts to prevent miscarriage and premature birth. According to the article, a single womb exposure could induce defects that could be transmitted to the next two generations.