Autism ‘links to car fumes’

LIVING near a busy road during pregnancy could increase the risk of males having autism, says a study.

The occurrence in boys rose by 9% for mums exposed to certain levels of nitric oxide, with exhaust fumes being a main source.

Report author Lief Pagalan, of Simon Fraser University, British Columbia, analysed 132,000 under-fives in Canada.

He said: “These findings suggest reducing exposure to NO for pregnant women may be associated with a reduction in autism.”