The large prospective study, conducted across multiple clinical centres and involving detailed follow-up assessments of infants born during the pandemic, examined speech and language development, motor skills, behaviour patterns and social interaction. After adjusting for factors such as maternal age, pre-existing health conditions and socio-economic background, investigators reported no meaningful differences between children whose mothers received mRNA vaccines and those who did not.
The findings arrive amid persistent public concern linking vaccination to neurodevelopmental conditions, despite decades of research refuting any association between childhood immunisation and autism. Health authorities have consistently stated that mRNA COVID-19 vaccines, including those developed by Pfizer-BioNTech and Moderna, do not alter DNA and do not contain live virus, and are considered safe during pregnancy.
In the study, researchers followed mothers who were vaccinated either shortly before conception or during pregnancy, comparing outcomes with a matched unvaccinated group. Standardised developmental screening tools were used when the children reached toddler age. Clinicians assessed communication skills, fine and gross motor development, adaptive behaviour and social responsiveness, domains commonly examined when evaluating early signs of autism spectrum disorder.
Statistical analysis showed no increase in autism diagnoses or in scores indicating developmental delay among children exposed to maternal vaccination. Rates of speech delay, motor delay and behavioural concerns were similar in both groups and fell within expected population ranges. The investigators emphasised that their methodology included blinded evaluators and validated assessment instruments, strengthening the reliability of the results.
Experts in maternal-fetal medicine and paediatrics said the study adds to a growing body of literature demonstrating the safety of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy. Earlier research has shown that vaccination reduces the risk of severe illness, hospitalisation and complications such as preterm birth associated with maternal COVID-19 infection. Severe infection during pregnancy has been linked in some studies to higher risks of adverse neonatal outcomes, underscoring the importance of prevention.
Professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at a leading European university, who was not involved in the research, said the data should help counter misinformation. She noted that autism is a complex neurodevelopmental condition influenced by genetic and environmental factors, with no credible biological mechanism connecting mRNA vaccination to its development. “This study is reassuring because it uses careful developmental follow-up rather than relying solely on registry data,” she said.
Public health agencies, including the World Health Organization and the European Medicines Agency, have repeatedly reviewed safety data on COVID-19 vaccines in pregnancy. Surveillance systems in the United States and Europe have monitored hundreds of thousands of vaccinated pregnant individuals, finding no increased risk of miscarriage, congenital anomalies or neonatal complications linked to mRNA vaccines.
The current study focused specifically on neurodevelopmental outcomes, an area that has drawn attention from parents concerned about long-term effects. Researchers acknowledged that autism is often diagnosed after the toddler years and said continued follow-up into early childhood would provide further clarity. However, they stressed that early screening tools are widely used to detect signs that warrant further evaluation, and no signal emerged in the vaccinated cohort.
Autism spectrum disorder affects approximately one in 100 children worldwide, according to global estimates. Diagnosis rates have risen over time, largely attributed to broader diagnostic criteria and improved awareness. Scientists have long rejected the claim that vaccines cause autism, a theory that originated from a discredited study published in the late 1990s and subsequently withdrawn. Numerous large-scale investigations since then have found no link between routine immunisation and autism.
During the pandemic, misinformation circulating on social media revived similar fears about COVID-19 vaccines. Obstetricians reported that some pregnant patients delayed or declined vaccination due to concerns about potential harm to their unborn child. Health professionals warn that such hesitancy may leave mothers and infants vulnerable to complications from infection.
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