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July 30, 2026BMC PsychiatryOpen Access

Prenatal exposure to maternal stress hormones and the risk of autism: a neuroendocrine–epigenetic scoping review

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Authors

TMTemba MunsakaMTMqemane TshababaPMPhumuzani Mpofu

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Overview

Scoping review highlights prenatal stress hormones' influence on autism risk in children, suggesting neurobiological links.

Key Points

  • This review aims to explore how maternal stress hormones during pregnancy may affect fetal neurodevelopment, particularly in relation to autism spectrum disorder (ASD).
  • Conducted a scoping review of studies on prenatal stress hormones, HPA axis, and ASD outcomes.
  • Cataloged eligible studies by research design, biomarkers, gestational periods, and neurobiological outcomes.
  • Utilized the Joanna Briggs Institute and PRISMA-ScR framework for study selection and analysis.
  • Confirmed that elevated maternal cortisol and placental CRH are associated with adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes linked to ASD.
  • Identified that disruptions in HPA axis functioning contribute to changes in ASD development trajectories.
  • Highlighted the role of moderating variables like fetal sex, maternal mental health, and environmental factors.

Cite This Study

Munsaka et al. (2026) studied this question.

synapsesocial.com/papers/6a6af57860e2b924d3ea1c8ahttps://doi.org/10.1186/s12888-026-08399-x
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Also Consider

Synapse has enriched 5 closely related papers on similar clinical questions. Consider them for comparative context:

  1. 1Epigenetic Mechanisms Linking Maternal Stress During Pregnancy to Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Narrative Review2026
  2. 2Biopsychosocial factors during pregnancy and their implications for autism spectrum disorder: a scoping review2026
  3. 3Prenatal maternal stress and long-term neurodevelopmental outcomes: a narrative review2025 · 11 citations
  4. 4Maternal prenatal stress and its neuropsychological sequelae in infants and mother–infant dyadic quality: A systematic review and meta-analysis protocol2026
  5. 5Perinatal HPA axis regulation and offspring neuropsychiatric development: mechanisms, developmental trajectories, and clinical implications2026