Prenatal SARS-CoV-2 Infection Increases Risk for Autism Spectrum Disorder Among Girls

Summary: A new study looked at nearly 70,000 children to see how getting COVID-19 during pregnancy affects babies. Researchers found that if a mother had COVID-19 while pregnant, her baby girl had a higher risk of being diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD). Interestingly, this extra risk was seen in girls, but not in boys. The study also checked for speech and motor delays but didn't find a big link to COVID-19 overall, though getting sick in the first trimester might slightly raise the chance of motor delays. More research is needed to understand how the severity of the virus or vaccines might change these risks.

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