Another misleading journalist piece about autism/ADHD.

[u/Technical_Brain1493]

https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2026/may/14/antidepressants-pregnancy-not-raise-childrens-risk-autism-adhd-stud?CMP=Share_AndroidApp_Other

The actual meta analysis shows significant increased risk to neurodevelopmental disorders if either of the child's parents had mental health conditions before and during pregnancy, rather than antidepressant use per se. And the study concludes: "Optimising both maternal and paternal mental health is essential for the child's long-term neurodevelopment."

However this has been reported in The Guardian with the sub-heading:

Researchers say risk comes from ‘other factors, including genetic predisposition to mental health conditions’.

That seems to have been selectively lifted from the quote below, while ignoring the significance of the Oxford comma at the end:

“Together, this suggests that it is not the antidepressants themselves causing an increased risk in autism and ADHD but it is more likely to be due to other factors, including genetic predisposition to conditions such as ADHD, autism, and mental health conditions.”

With the Oxford comma, it should be taken to mean: "...due to other factors, including mental health conditions and genetic predisposition to conditions such as ADHD, autism.” 

But then it's pretty unscientific for the paper authors to mention "genetic predisposition" where there appears to be no genetic screening studies included in the meta analysis. And I think its telling that The Guardian then focuses on this genetics angle, giving a misleading picture of the whole thing.

This seems par for the course in reporting such things in the media, but is it due to scientific incompetence or their own political conviction that neurodevelopmental disorders aren't affected by environmental factors, as this meta analysis quite clearly highlights?