Covid in pregnancy linked to higher autism, speech and motor delays: Study

Children born to mothers infected with Covid-19 during pregnancy faced a 29% higher chance of developing autism, speech and motor delays by age three, a major US study finds

Can Covid-19 infection during pregnancy affect a baby’s brain development? A new study published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology suggests it can. The coronavirus may have lasting effects beyond the mother, potentially influencing how a baby’s brain develops.

 

Researchers at Mass General Brigham, a leading research and academic medical centre in Boston that includes a network of hospitals, found that children born to mothers who had Covid-19 during pregnancy faced a higher risk of neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism, speech delays and motor coordination issues by the time they turned three.

 

The study, titled Neurodevelopmental outcomes of 3-year-old children exposed to maternal severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection in utero, analysed more than 18,000 births that took place during the first year of the pandemic.

 

What did the study find?

The researchers tracked 18,124 mother–child pairs from March 2020 to May 2021. Among them, 861 women had tested positive for SARS-CoV-2 during pregnancy. By the time their children turned three, 16.3 per cent of those born to Covid-positive mothers had received a neurodevelopmental diagnosis, compared with 9.7 per cent of children whose mothers had not been infected.

 

After adjusting for confounding factors such as age and pre-existing conditions, maternal Covid-19 infection was linked to a 29 per cent higher likelihood of neurodevelopmental disorders in children.

Which children were most at risk?

The study found that male children were more likely to develop these disorders than female children. The highest risk appeared when the infection occurred during the third trimester, a crucial phase for brain development.

 

Dr Andrea Edlow, senior author and Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist at Mass General Brigham, explained in a press statement that “Covid-19, like many other infections in pregnancy, may pose risks not only to the mother but to fetal brain development.”

 

Animal studies have shown that immune activation during pregnancy — the body’s inflammatory response to infection — can disrupt fetal brain development, which may help explain these findings.

Are all Covid-exposed babies at high risk?

The researchers emphasised that the overall risk remains low. Dr Roy Perlis, co-senior author from Mass General’s Department of Psychiatry, said in the statement that although infection increases the odds of developmental disorders, “the overall risk of adverse outcomes in exposed children likely remains low.”

 

This means that most babies born to mothers who had Covid-19 during pregnancy are likely to develop normally, but some may benefit from early developmental screening and support.

 

According to the study, the link between infections in pregnancy and later neurodevelopmental conditions is not new. Influenza, rubella and Zika virus have all been associated with an increased risk of autism or developmental disorders.

 

The researchers believe the effect may not stem from the virus directly crossing the placenta, but rather from maternal immune responses and inflammation that subtly alter the environment in which the fetal brain develops.

What about Covid-19 vaccines and prevention?

Because the study’s timeframe was during the first pandemic year, most mothers involved were unvaccinated. This allowed researchers to isolate the effects of infection itself. However, the findings have renewed emphasis on the importance of preventing infection during pregnancy, particularly through vaccination.

 

Dr Edlow added that “these results are especially relevant at a time when public trust in vaccines, including Covid-19 vaccines, is being eroded.”

 

The study highlighted that Covid-19 during pregnancy is not a guarantee of neurodevelopmental problems, but it should be avoided.

 

Lead author Dr Lydia Shook advised parents to stay aware: “By understanding the risks, parents can advocate for their children to receive proper evaluation and developmental support.”

 

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