Large Study Finds No Link Between mRNA COVID Vaccine During Pregnancy and Autism

According to a study presented at the 2026 Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) meeting, administration of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine shortly before or at any time during pregnancy is not associated with autism or other developmental disorders in children. The findings provide new data on the long-term health of children whose mothers were vaccinated around the time of pregnancy.

Two types of COVID-19 vaccines are recommended in the United States: the messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) vaccine and a protein subunit vaccine. Both are considered safe at all stages of pregnancy and are recommended to protect the health of mother and child. mRNA vaccines are also considered safe and recommended in Europe during pregnancy and breastfeeding. Protein subunit vaccines are also approved, but their use during pregnancy often depends on national vaccination recommendations, and they are often preferred over mRNA vaccines.

Study of 434 Infants

The study was conducted by researchers from the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Units Network. The team examined 434 children between the ages of 18 and 30 months for signs of autism and other developmental disorders. The study was prospective, multicenter, and observational, and was conducted between May 2024 and March 2025. Half of the children (217) were born to mothers who had received at least one dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine either during pregnancy or within 30 days prior to pregnancy. The remaining 217 children were born to mothers who had not received an mRNA vaccine during or within 30 days prior to pregnancy.

“The neurological development of children whose mothers received the COVID-19 vaccine during or shortly before pregnancy did not differ from that of children whose mothers did not receive the vaccine,” said lead 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, Virginia.

How the Researchers Compared Developmental Outcomes

To make the comparison as accurate as possible, vaccinated mothers were matched with unvaccinated mothers based on place of birth (hospital, birthing center, etc.), date of birth, insurance status, and ethnicity. Certain pregnancies were excluded from both groups, including those that ended before 37 weeks, involved multiples, or resulted in a child with a severe congenital malformation.

When the children were 1½ to 2½ years old, the researchers assessed their development using the Ages and Stages Questionnaire Version 3. This screening tool measures progress in five areas: communication, gross motor skills, fine motor skills, problem solving, and personal social interaction. The team also reviewed the results of the Child Behavior Checklist, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, and the Early Childhood Behavior Questionnaire to further assess behavioral and developmental patterns.

“This study, conducted through a rigorous scientific process in an NIH clinical trial network, provides reassuring results regarding the long-term health of children whose mothers received a COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy,” said Dr. Brenna L. Hughes, 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. The study was funded by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. The authors note that the conclusions presented are their own and do not necessarily reflect the official views of the National Institutes of Health.

COVID Vaccine Leads to Fewer Infections and Allergies in Children With Eczema

Research also shows other benefits for children who receive COVID-19 vaccines. In fact, children diagnosed with atopic dermatitis (AD), better known as eczema, may have fewer infections and allergic problems after receiving the vaccine. This is according to a study presented at the 2025 Annual Meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Orlando. “Atopic dermatitis is a chronic skin condition caused by the immune system and often precedes the development of asthma and allergic rhinitis,” explained medical student Tristan Nguyen, BS, lead author of the study. “Children with AD also have a higher risk of infections, including those affecting the skin and respiratory tract.”

Large-Scale Study Examined Vaccinated and Unvaccinated Children

The researchers conducted a retrospective cohort study involving 5,758 vaccinated and 5,758 unvaccinated children under the age of 17 with atopic dermatitis. Participants in both groups were carefully matched for demographic and health characteristics to ensure a balanced comparison. Children who had previously been infected with COVID-19 or had serious pre-existing conditions were not included in the study.

“Our study suggests that COVID-19 vaccination not only protects against the coronavirus, but may also have other health benefits for children with atopic dermatitis,” said lead researcher Zhibo Yang, MD, PhD. “We found a lower rate of allergic diseases and infections in vaccinated children compared to their unvaccinated peers.”

Fewer Infections and Allergic Diseases in Vaccinated Children

The analysis revealed several important trends:

• Vaccinated children had significantly fewer infections, including otitis media, pneumonia, bronchitis, bronchiolitis, sinusitis, upper respiratory tract infections, impetigo, molluscum contagiosum, and other common skin infections.
• They were also less likely to develop allergic diseases such as asthma, allergic rhinitis, contact dermatitis, and food-induced anaphylaxis.
• There was a longer interval between vaccination and the onset of various diseases, including allergic rhinitis, viral infections, and ear infections.

Possible Role in Preventing Disease Progression

“The results suggest that vaccinations may help reduce the risk of progression of atopic diseases, such as the development of asthma, in children with eczema,” said Dr. Yang. “This underscores the safety and potential additional benefits of COVID-19 vaccination in this vulnerable population.”

Possible explanations include that vaccination protects against COVID-19 infections, thereby reducing inflammatory stress on the immune system. Respiratory viral infections can exacerbate inflammatory responses in children with atopic diseases, trigger asthma attacks, and further burden the allergic immune response. Vaccination specifically activates the immune system without the need to undergo a real viral infection, allowing for controlled immune stimulation.

Furthermore, the results show that vaccination does not cause an increase in allergic events. On the contrary, vaccinated children had fewer infections and allergic symptoms overall, underscoring both the safety and potential additional health benefits of COVID-19 vaccination for this vulnerable population.

These results add to the growing body of research highlighting vaccination not only as an important tool for preventing COVID-19, but also for supporting overall immune health in children with chronic allergic diseases. The recommendation to vaccinate children with eczema is supported in order to both reduce infection risks and prevent potential allergic complications.