Major Study Finds No Link Between COVID-19 mRNA Vaccination During Pregnancy and Neurodevelopmental Disorders in Children
核心洞察
A comprehensive study of 434 children aged 18-30 months found no association between maternal mRNA COVID-19 (搜索) vaccination during pregnancy and autism (搜索) or other neurodevelopmental problems in offspring.
The multi-center prospective observational study, conducted by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (搜索) from May 2024 to March 2025, compared children born to vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers using standardized developmental assessments.
Results showed no differences in neurodevelopmental outcomes between the two groups across five key developmental areas including communication, motor skills, problem-solving, and social interaction.
A landmark study involving 434 children has found no association between maternal mRNA COVID-19 (搜索) vaccination during pregnancy and autism (搜索) or other neurodevelopmental disorders (搜索) in offspring, providing crucial reassurance for expectant mothers and healthcare providers. The research, presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (搜索) (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting™, represents one of the most comprehensive investigations to date on the long-term neurodevelopmental effects of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.
Study Design and Methodology
The multi-center prospective observational study, conducted by researchers from the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network (搜索) between May 2024 and March 2025, examined children between 18 and 30 months of age. The study population was evenly divided: 217 children were born to mothers who received at least one dose of mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy or within 30 days prior to conception, while 217 were born to unvaccinated mothers.
To ensure robust comparisons, researchers carefully matched vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers based on delivery site, delivery date, insurance status, and race. The study excluded pregnancies that resulted in preterm births before 37 weeks, multifetal pregnancies, or children born with major congenital malformations.
Comprehensive Developmental Assessment
Children in both groups underwent extensive neurodevelopmental evaluation using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Version 3, which assesses development across five critical domains: communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and personal-social interaction. Additional assessments included the Child Behavior Checklist, Modified Checklist for Autism (搜索) in Toddlers, and the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire.
"Neurodevelopment outcomes in children born to mothers who received the COVID-19 (搜索) vaccine during or shortly before pregnancy did not differ from those born to mothers who did not receive the vaccine," stated senior researcher George R. Saade, MD, Professor and Chair of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and Associate Dean for Women's Health, at Macon & Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.
Clinical Implications for Pregnancy Care
The findings have significant implications for maternal-fetal medicine practice, particularly given ongoing concerns about vaccine safety during pregnancy. Both mRNA and protein subunit COVID-19 (搜索) vaccines are currently recommended by U.S. health authorities as safe for use during any stage of pregnancy to protect both maternal and infant health.
Brenna L. Hughes, MD, MSc, Edwin Crowell Hamblen Distinguished Professor of Reproductive Biology and Family Planning and Interim Chair of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Duke University (搜索) in Raleigh, NC, emphasized the study's scientific rigor: "This study, conducted through a rigorous scientific process in an NIH clinical trials network, demonstrates reassuring findings regarding the long-term health of children whose mothers received COVID-19 (搜索) vaccination during pregnancy."
Research Funding and Publication
The research was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (搜索), with investigators noting that the content represents their findings and does not necessarily reflect official views of the National Institutes of Health. The study's oral abstract, titled "Association between SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in pregnancy and child neurodevelopment at 18-30 months," is scheduled for publication in the February 2026 issue of PREGNANCY, the official peer-reviewed medical journal of the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (搜索).