Iron deficiency during pregnancy may be linked to autism, according to a recent study.

Researchers from the university of California - Davis Healthy System found that Low iron intake was associated with a five-fold greater risk of autism in the child if the mother was 35 years or older at the time of the child's birth or if she suffered from metabolic conditions such as obesity hypertension or diabetes.

"The association between lower maternal iron intake and increased [autism spectrum disorder] ASD risk was strongest during breastfeeding, after adjustment for folic acid intake," researcher Rebecca J. Schmidt said. "Further, the risk associated with low maternal iron intake was much greater when the mother was also older and had metabolic conditions during her pregnancy."

The study was conducted in mother-child pairs enrolled in the Northern California-based Childhood Autism Risks from Genetics and the Environment (CHARGE) Study between 2002 and 2009. The participants included mothers of children with autism and 346 mothers of children with typical development.

Schmidt and her colleagues examined maternal iron intake among the study's participants, including vitamins, other nutritional supplements, and breakfast cereals during the three months prior to through the end of the women's pregnancies and breastfeeding. The mothers' daily iron intake was examined, including the frequency, dosages and the brands of supplements that they consumed.

"Iron deficiency, and its resultant anemia, is the most common nutrient deficiency, especially during pregnancy, affecting 40 to 50 percent of women and their infants," Schmidt said. "Iron is crucial to early brain development, contributing to neurotransmitter production, myelination and immune function. All three of these pathways have been associated with autism."

The findings do not solve the mysteries of autism, UPI reported. Some women with high iron intake still had children diagnosed with autism.

"In the meantime the takeaway message for women is do what your doctor recommends. Take vitamins throughout pregnancy, and take the recommended daily dosage. If there are side effects, talk to your doctor about how to address them," Schmidt said.

The findings were published in the American Journal of Epidemiology.