New study finds minor differences in infant regulatory behavior but no significant long-term effects on neurodevelopment. Study: Neurodevelopment in the First 2 Years of Life Following Prenatal Exposure to Maternal SARS-CoV-2 Infection . Image Credit: mojo cp/Shutterstock.
com In a recent study published in the JAMA Network Open , a group of researchers assessed whether prenatal exposure to maternal Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection impacts child neurodevelopmental outcomes during the first two years of life. Background Prenatal exposure to viral infections like influenza and SARS has been linked to adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in children, such as lower Intelligence Quotient (IQ) and increased risk of neuropsychiatric disorders. SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy may similarly affect child neurodevelopment due to maternal systemic inflammation.
Previous studies, mostly limited to the first 18 months, have found limited impacts and often lacked appropriate comparison groups or did not assess domains like temperament. There is a need for longitudinal research into later childhood to fully understand the potential effects of prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure. Therefore, further research is essential to determine if neurodevelopmental impacts emerge over time.
About the study Participants were drawn from the pan-Canadian longitudinal pregnancy During the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic Study, a cohort investigating the pandem.