Prenatal COVID-19 Exposure: Assessing Risks for Neurodevelopmental Disorders

A Mass General Brigham analysis found prenatal SARS‑CoV‑2 exposure was associated with an increased risk of neurodevelopmental diagnoses by age three in a cohort of 18,323 births.

The study reported a 29% higher likelihood of neurodevelopmental diagnosis after maternal SARS‑CoV‑2 infection in adjusted models. The analysis was observational and employed multivariable adjustment for measured confounders.

Timing of maternal infection modified the association; larger effects were observed when infection occurred later in pregnancy. Sex-specific analyses suggested higher relative risk in male compared with female offspring, although effect-size estimates were inconsistent.

These subgroup results are exploratory, potentially underpowered, and require replication; they warrant cautious interpretation rather than definitive clinical action.