SMFM

SMFM 2026: No link found between COVID 19 vaccination in pregnancy and autism

February 13, 2026

Neurodevelopmental outcomes at 18 to 30 months were equivalent between children of mothers who did and didn’t receive an mRNA SARS‑CoV‑2 vaccine during or just before pregnancy, according to findings presented at the Society for Maternal‑Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Meeting. In this multicenter matched cohort (217 exposed–unexposed pairs), median Ages and Stages Questionnaire version 3 (ASQ‑3) scores were similar (255 vs. 260; median difference, –3.4; 95% confidence interval, –9.7 to 3.0), with no differences across secondary behavioral or developmental measures.

Clinical takeaway: Reassure patients that current evidence shows no adverse neurodevelopmental association with mRNA COVID‑19 vaccination in pregnancy.

Source:

Saade G, et al. Pregnancy. Oral abstract #8 “Association between SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in pregnancy and child neurodevelopment at 18-30 months.” Presented at Society for Maternal-Fetal Medicine (SMFM) 2026 Pregnancy Meeting. https://obgyn.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/pmf2.70150