New research from Mass General Brigham reveals that COVID-19 infection in pregnancy may subtly alter fetal brain development, heightening the risk of speech, motor, and autism-related disorders in early childhood.
Study: Neurodevelopmental Outcomes of 3-Year-Old Children exposed to Maternal Severe Acute respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) Infection in Utero.Image Credit: Dagmara_K / Shutterstock
Children born to mothers who had COVID-19 while pregnant face an elevated risk of developmental disorders by age three, including speech delays, autism, motor disorders, and other neurodevelopmental delays, according to new research by investigators at Mass General Brigham. The findings are published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology.
COVID-19 May Impact Fetal Brain Development
“These findings highlight that COVID-19, like many other infections in pregnancy, may pose risks not only to the mother but to fetal brain development,” said senior author Andrea edlow, MD, MSc, a Maternal-Fetal Medicine specialist at Mass General Brigham.She emphasized the importance of preventing infections during pregnancy, especially as public trust in vaccines, including COVID-19 vaccines, is facing erosion.
Previous Research Links Maternal Infections to Childhood neurodevelopmental Disorders
Other maternal infections during pregnancy have been linked with increased risk for a range of neurodevelopmental diseases in childhood. Animal studies have demonstr