New Study Finds No Link Between Prenatal COVID Vaccination and Autism

Research provides additional reassurance that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy does not increase risk of neurodevelopmental issues in children.

Published on Feb. 13, 2026

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A new multicenter prospective observational study of over 400 mother-child pairs found no significant difference in developmental scores between children born to mothers who received a COVID-19 vaccine during or shortly before pregnancy and those who did not. The findings, presented at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine 2026 Annual Pregnancy Meeting, add to the growing body of evidence that COVID-19 vaccination in pregnancy is safe and does not increase the risk of autism or other neurodevelopmental problems in young children.

Why it matters

The study provides further reassurance to expectant mothers and the medical community that the benefits of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy outweigh any potential risks. Vaccination in pregnancy helps protect both the mother and the developing baby from the serious health consequences of COVID-19 infection, which has been linked to increased risks of severe disease, adverse pregnancy outcomes, and maternal death.

The details

Researchers compared 217 children born to mothers who received at least one dose of an mRNA COVID-19 vaccine during pregnancy or within 30 days before pregnancy with 217 children whose mothers were not vaccinated during that time. The children were evaluated using standardized screening tools, including the Ages and Stages Questionnaire, the Modified Checklist for Autism in Toddlers, and the Child Behavior Checklist. The study found equivalent scores on the primary outcome measure between the exposed and unexposed children, staying within the preset equivalence margin. There were also no significant differences in secondary measures of child behavior or developmental domains.

  • The study findings were presented on February 11, 2026 at the Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) Annual Pregnancy Meeting.
  • The study is slated for publication in the February 2026 issue of the journal Pregnancy.

The players

George R. Saade, MD

Senior researcher with Macon and Joan Brock Virginia Health Sciences at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia.

David S. Mandell, ScD

Member of the executive committee of the Coalition of Autism Scientists and professor and director of the Penn Center for Mental Health at the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine in Philadelphia.

Nancy Byatt, DO, MS, MBA

Perinatal psychiatrist and professor at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School in Worcester, Massachusetts, who serves on the American Psychiatric Association Council on Women's Mental Health.

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What they’re saying

“Neurodevelopment 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.”

— George R. Saade, MD, Senior researcher (Press release)

“The vast majority of data that we have is consistent with COVID-19 vaccine being recommended in pregnancy and there do not appear to be major adverse risks associated with it.”

— Nancy Byatt, DO, MS, MBA, Perinatal psychiatrist and professor (Medscape Medical News)

“The tiny magnitude of the average difference between groups (3.4 points on a 60-point scale) increases confidence in the finding that mothers receiving the COVID vaccine during pregnancy has no effect on children's development.”

— David S. Mandell, ScD, Member of the executive committee of the Coalition of Autism Scientists (Medscape Medical News)

What’s next

The study is slated for publication in the February 2026 issue of the journal Pregnancy.

The takeaway

This study adds to the growing body of evidence that COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy is safe and does not increase the risk of autism or other neurodevelopmental issues in young children. The findings provide further reassurance to expectant mothers and the medical community that the benefits of vaccination in pregnancy far outweigh any potential risks.