A recent study has found a probable link between autism and COVID-19, claiming the infection could affect children’s brain development. Autism, a condition that affects social interactions and communication, has recently become a major point of conversation. Whether it is vaccines or medicine like Tylenol, many have been linked to increased risk of autism in children. One such link was made with COVID, however, this claim was refuted by many medical journals like the 2024 study done by the Columbia University Irving Medical Center. However, the new study, published in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology, has shown that there may be some evidence supporting the COVID-19 and autism link. New research from Mass General Brigham suggests that children born to mothers who had COVID-19 while pregnant face a slightly higher chance of having developmental delays by the age of three. These problems can include issues like speech delays, autism, motor disorders, and other neurodevelopmental delays. Does COVID-19 Affect Brain Development? According to the researchers, these results show that COVID-19, much like many other infections a woman can get during pregnancy, might cause problems for the baby’s developing brain in addition to affecting the mother. They pointed out that it is crucial for pregnant women to focus on staying healthy and avoiding infections, especially as trust in vaccines, including the COVID-19 vaccine, is decreasing. This idea isn't entirely new. Earlier research has already connected other types of infections in pregnant women to a greater risk of various developmental problems in their children. Studies on animals have also shown that when a mother’s immune system is strongly activated by an infection, it can interfere with the normal growth of the baby's brain and affect how the baby behaves later on. How Does COVID-19 Affect Baby’s Development? The researchers examined medical records from 18,124 births that happened at Mass General Brigham hospitals between March 2020 and May 2021, the time when COVID-19 was at its height. They wanted to see if there was a connection between the mothers who had the virus and their children's development. Higher Diagnosis Rate Out of the 861 children whose mothers tested positive for COVID-19 during pregnancy, 16.3%, which is about 1 in 6, were diagnosed with a developmental problem by age three. Comparison Group In contrast, among the larger group of 17,263 children whose mothers did not have COVID-19, a smaller number, 9.7%, which is about 1 in 10, were diagnosed with these conditions. Elevated Risk After adjusting the numbers for other possible factors, the study found that a mother having COVID-19 during pregnancy was linked to a 29% increased likelihood of a child developing a neurodevelopmental condition. What Are Some Risk Factors Of Autism? The research team found that two factors seemed to make the elevated risk stand out even more: Gender Male children appeared to have a greater chance of developing these neurodevelopmental disorders compared to girls. Timing The risk was highest when the mother got the COVID-19 infection during the third trimester, which is the final three months of pregnancy. This suggests that exposure to the virus later in pregnancy might have a bigger negative impact on the baby's brain. Despite finding that the infection increases the odds, the researchers noted that it's important to remember that the overall chance of an exposed child having a serious developmental problem is still low. The study shows a higher relative risk compared to unexposed children, but the total number of children affected is not huge.
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