Increased Neurodevelopmental Disorders Among Exposed Infants
Children born to mothers who contracted Covid-19 during pregnancy may face a higher likelihood of being diagnosed with autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders, according to new research from Massachusetts General Hospital. The study, published in the journal Obstetrics and Gynecology, analyzed data from more than 18,000 births across the Mass General Brigham health system between March 2020 and May 2021.
Researchers found that more than 16 percent of children born to mothers infected during pregnancy were diagnosed with a neurodevelopmental disorder by age three, compared with less than 10 percent among those whose mothers were not infected. After adjusting for other risk factors, this equated to a 1.3 times higher risk. The most common conditions were speech and motor function delays and autism.
Higher Risks for Boys and Late-Pregnancy Infections
The findings were particularly striking among male infants and pregnancies in which the mother contracted the virus during the third trimester, described as a critical window for brain development. Previous research suggests that male fetal brains are more vulnerable to maternal immune responses, which could explain the greater prevalence among boys.
About 2.7 percent of children whose mothers had Covid-19 during pregnancy were later diagnosed with autism, compared with about 1.1 percent among other children. The study’s authors said the results were consistent with prior research indicating that maternal infections can affect fetal brain development even without direct viral transmission.
Expert Reactions and Public Health Context
Dr. Lydia Shook, lead author of the study and a maternal-fetal medicine specialist at Massachusetts General Hospital, emphasized the importance of early awareness. “By understanding the risks, parents can appropriately advocate for their children to have proper evaluation and support,” she said in a statement. Senior author Dr. Andrea Edlow added that the results underscore the importance of preventing infection during pregnancy, especially as vaccine hesitancy remains widespread.
The research focused on pregnancies early in the pandemic, before vaccines were available, allowing the team to study outcomes in an unvaccinated population. Roughly 93 percent of mothers in the study had not received any Covid-19 vaccine doses, and strict infection-control policies helped ensure accurate reporting of infections.
Autism Diagnoses Rising Nationwide
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, one in 31 American children was diagnosed with autism by age eight in 2022, up from one in 36 in 2020. While experts largely attribute the rise to improved screening and awareness, federal health officials have launched new research initiatives into autism’s underlying causes.
The study’s authors caution that Covid-19 may join a list of infections that pose risks to fetal neurodevelopment. They concluded that preventing maternal infection remains key to protecting both maternal and child health, particularly amid declining public trust in vaccination programs.