Key Takeaways

Children exposed to COVID-19 in the womb were more likely to be diagnosed with autism or other delays by age 3

The study followed more than 18,100 births in Massachusetts

16.3% of children of COVID-19 infected mothers received a neurodevelopmental diagnosis

MONDAY, Nov. 3, 2025 (HealthDay News) — Kids born to women who were infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy were more likely to be diagnosed with autism or other developmental delays by age 3, a new study found.

The research, published last week in the journal Obstetrics & Gynecology , looked at more than 18,100 births in Massachusetts from early 2020 through mid-2021, before COVID-19 vaccines were widely available.

Of the 861 pregnant women who tested positive for COVID-19, 140, or 16.3%, later had a child w

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