Fresh research presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting indicates no association between mRNA COVID-19 vaccination during or shortly before pregnancy and an increased risk of autism or other neurodevelopmental disorders in children, researchers announced on February 11, 2026.
The multi-center prospective observational study, conducted by the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network between May 2024 and March 2025, involved 434 children aged between 18 and 30 months. Half of the children—217—were born to mothers who had received at least one dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during or within 30 days prior to pregnancy. The other half were born to mothers who had not received the mRNA vaccine during the same period.
“Neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born to mothers who received the COVID-19 vaccine during or shortly before pregnancy did not differ from those born to mothers who did not receive the vaccine,” stated 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 Traditional Dominion University in Norfolk, VA.
Researchers carefully matched vaccinated and unvaccinated mothers based on several factors, including delivery site (hospital, birth center, etc.), delivery date, insurance status, and race. Participants were excluded from the study if they delivered preterm—before 37 weeks of gestation—experienced a multifetal pregnancy, or had a child born with a major congenital malformation.
To assess neurodevelopmental progress, researchers utilized the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Version 3, a tool designed to evaluate and track child development in five key areas: communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem-solving, and personal-social interaction. The study incorporated assessments using the Child Behavior Checklist, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, and the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire.
Both mRNA vaccines and protein subunit vaccines are recommended and considered safe for use during any stage of pregnancy to protect maternal and infant health, according to public health authorities. The study focused specifically on the mRNA vaccine due to its widespread use.
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 in Raleigh, NC, described the study as demonstrating “reassuring findings regarding the long-term health of children whose mothers received COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.”
The research was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The authors affirm that the content presented is their sole responsibility and does not necessarily reflect the official views of the National Institutes of Health.