A new study finds that children born to mothers infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy have an elevated risk of autism and other developmental disorders. Dr. Celine Gounder joins to break it down.
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>> Maurice: FIVE YEARS AFTER THE COVID PANDEMIC, SCIENTISTS ARE STILL LEARNING ABOUT THE LONG AND SHORT TERM HEALTH CONSEQUENCES. >> John: A NEW STUDY FINDS MOTHERS INFECTED WITH COVID DURING PREGNANCY HAVE CHILDREN WITH AN ELEVATED RISK OF AUTISM AND OTHER DISORDERS. >> Maurice: TAKE US THROUGH THIS. WHAT EXACTLY DID THE STUDY FIND? >> Re >> THIS WAS A LARGE STUDY LOOKING OUT OVER 18,000 PREGNANT WOMEN AND THEIR BABIES BORN DURING THE PANDEMIC BEFORE VACCINES WERE WIDELY AVAILABLE. RESEARCHERS FOUND BABIES WHOSE MOTHERS HAD COVID DURING PREGNANCY WERE SLIGHTLY MORE LIKELY TO BE DIAGNOSED WITH DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES BY THE AGE OF THREE. IT’S IMPORTANT TO NOTE THAT THOSE DEVELOPMENTAL ISSUES RANGED FROM MILD, LIKE A SHORT TERM LIST, TO SEVERE LIKE SEVERE AUTISM. THIS STUDY DOES NOT PROVE CAUSE AND EFFECT. OTHER FACTORS COULD PLAY A ROLE. BUT IT STILL FITS IN WITH A LONG LINE OF RESEARCH SHOWING INFECTIONS AND INFLAMMATION DURING PREGNANCY CAN AFFECT HOW A BABY’S BRAIN DEVELOPS. >> John: HOW DOES AN INFECTION AFFECT THE WAY A BRAVE — BABY’S BRAIN DEVELOPS? >> WHEN A WOMAN GETS AN INFECTION, HER IMMUNE SYSTEM RAMPS UP AND THE INFLAMMATORY SIGNALS THAT ARE PART OF THE IMMUNE SYSTEM CROSS THE PLACENTA AND REACH A BABY. THAT CAN ACTUALLY CHANGE HOW THE BRAIN IS DEVELOPING. DURING THE PROCESS OF BRAIN DEVELOPMENT, YOU HAVE SYNAPSES BEING MADE AND BEING PRUNED, KIND OF LIKE PRUNING HEDGES TO FORM SOMETHING. THE IMMUNE SYSTEM HELPS PROVE NO SYNAPSES. WITH VACCINATION YOU HAVE A MUCH MILDER IMMUNE RESPONSE AND IT’S MORE SHORT-TERM. SO IT DOESN’T SEEM TO INTERFERE WITH THAT PRUNING PROCESS. >> Maurice: FOR SOMEONE WHO’S PREGNANT TODAY, WHAT’S THE TAKE AWAY? >> THERE’S BEEN A LOT OF CONFUSION AND MISINFORMATION SINCE 2021 ABOUT WHETHER IT’S SAFE TO BE VACCINATED FOR COVID IN PREGNANCY. THE MESSAGE IS NOT ONLY THAT IT’S SAFE BUT RECOMME
