Monthly Archives: July 2009
Pitocin and Autism – A Link?
Is there a link between the usage of pitocin, an artificial hormone given to induce or speed up labor, and the rise in autism statistics? Are we causing autism by our use of such drugs in the birth process?
The theory of a link between pitocin and autism is a controversial one, and a rather worrying one, but it is something that needs further research so that we can rule it out or do something about it.
It first entered the public forum when Geoffrey Cowley, a Newsweek reporter, interviewed physician Dr Eric Hollander of New York’s Mount Sinai School of Medicine for an article back in July 2000 (see http://www.newsweek.com/id/85572/page/1 for “Understanding Autism” article). Dr Hollander had made the startling discovery that 60% of his autistic patients had been exposed to pitocin in the womb, when their mothers’ labors had been induced, and said:-
“In some individuals whose oxytocin system could be genetically vulnerable, a strong environmental early hit while the brain is still developing could down-regulate the oxytocin system, leading to developmental problems. But this is only a hypothesis that has been observed by association.”
What is Pitocin?
Pitocin is a synthetic version of oxytocin, a hormone that is naturally produced by a woman’s brain to produce spontaneous labor. When oxytocin is produced in the woman’s body, it triggers uterine contractions which cause the woman’s cervix to dilate and which also propel the baby through the birth canal. When a woman goes past her due date or needs to be induced for some reason, pitocin can be used to artificially induce labor or speed things up.
Ultrasounds and Autism
Ultrasounds are something that we all take for granted in modern day pregnancies and they are a vital diagnostic tool used by obstetricians, midwives and health professionals all over the world.
What are Ultrasounds?
Ultrasounds, also known as obstetric sonograms, obstetric sonographies and pregnancy sonograms, are imaging tests that use soundwaves to form a picture of the developing fetus in the womb, and also the placenta. The ultrasound scanner produces high frequency soundwaves which pass through the body and bounce back off bones and tissue, forming an image of the fetus which is then available on the scanner screen.
There are seven main types of ultrasound scan: transvaginal scan, standard ultrasound, advanced ultrasound, Doppler ultrasound, 3D ultrasound, 4 D ultrasound (or 3D Dynamic ultrasound) and Fetal Echocardiography. Although these ultrasounds are slightly different and look at different things, they all use the same technology.
There is no recommended number of ultrasounds in pregnancy and the number of ultrasounds a woman will be offered depends on her circumstances, her healthcare provider and whether there are any concerns regarding the pregnancy.
Ultrasounds in the first trimester are used to confirm whether the pregnancy is viable, to give a due date, to confirm heartbeat and also assess whether the pregnancy is ectopic. In the second trimester, ultrasounds can be used to diagnose any abnormalities or malformation of the fetus, to check on growth and development, assess whether it is a multiple pregnancy, confirm the death of the fetus where this is suspected, and identify problems such as excessive or reduced levels of amniotic fluid. In the third trimester, ultrasounds can be used to find out the location of the placenta, confirm death of the fetus if it is suspected, to check on the growth and development of the baby, to confirm presentation of …
Autism and Stem Cells – Part 2
Mercury
Last week, I wrote about how some scientists believe that stem cells can treat autism because they believe that autism is characterized by hypoperfusion (a reduction in the oxygen supply to the brain) and immune dysregulation. Scientists like Dr Leonard Smith believe that stem cells can increase blood flow, and therefore oxygen, to the brain and also treat inflammation in the gut. This sounds like great news but can stem cell treatment really “cure” autism?
Well, the simple answer is that it depends what you think is the cause of autism and autism symptoms. If you are of the opinion that autism is caused by a birth injury, a lack of oxygen at birth, then you will believe that stem cell treatment can be beneficial. However, if you believe, as I do, that there are many factors involved in causing autism and exacerbating symptoms, then you cannot believe that stem cell treatment is going to effectively “cure” autism, although it may offer short-term relief and recovery.
Environmental factors that may be involved in causing autism include:-
- Heavy metal exposure – Heavy metals in our environment include mercury, cadmium, manganese and lead.
- Pollutants – Chemicals like phenol, PCBs, dioxins, nicotine etc.
- Vaccines – The MMR vaccine, vaccines containing thimerosal and our program of childhood vaccines.
- Vitamin and nutrient deficiencies – Vitamin A, B and D deficiencies, deficiencies in essential nutrients like amino acids, Essential Fatty Acids and minerals.
- Food intolerances – Foods like gluten and casein causing gut inflammation or causing the production of peptides which acts as opiates on the brain.
- Candida Yeast – An overgrowth of candida yeast in the gut.
How can stem cell treatment possibly combat any of these factors?
It can’t.
Autism and Stem Cells – Part 1
Everyone has heard of stem cell research and how some scientists believe that stem cells can be used to treat, cure or fix certain diseases and conditions like cancer and cerebral palsy, but now stem cell therapy is also being linked to developmental disorders like autism.
But what are stem cells?
Stem Cells
Stem cells are cells that are found in most multi-cellular organisms and they are characterized by their ability to self-renew through a process called “mitotic cell division” and the way that they can differentiate into a wide range of specialized cell types in the body.
There are three types of stem cells:-
- Adult stem cells – These cells are also known as somatic stem cells or germatic stem cells and are found in adults and children. Adult stem cells have been used in research for many years and are used to treat bone and blood cancers like leukemia, through bone marrow transplants, and are also used to treat ligament and tendon injuries in horses. Adult stem cells can actually be obtained from the recipient themselves, via autograft, so this obviously reduces the risk of rejection and is not fraught with the ethics and controversies of using embryonic stem cells.
- Embryonic stem cells – Embryonic stem cells, or ES cells, are cells that are “harvested” from embryos which are at the blastocyst stage (4-5 days after fertilization). ES cells are “pluripotent” meaning that they can differentiate into all of the types of cells in the body, whereas adult stem cells can only form a limited number. The use of embryonic stem cells is controversial because taking the cells destroys the embryo
- Cord blood stem cells – These stem cells are found in umbilical cord blood and are known as “cord-blood-derived embryonic-like stem cells” or CBEs. Scientific
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