Children born to mothers who were infected with COVID-19 during pregnancy are more likely to experience developmental delays and neurological abnormalities by the age of three, according to a new study published in Obstetrics & Gynaecology.

The study examined more than 18,000 mother-child pairings born between March 2020 and May 2021. Children exposed to the virus in the womb had a 29% higher risk of having a neurodevelopmental disorder than those born to uninfected mums. These included speech impairments, autism spectrum diseases, and motor coordination issues. Infection during the third trimester increased the risk, and male infants were disproportionately affected. 

Dr Andrea Edlow, the study's senior author, stated that COVID-19 infection during pregnancy, like many other viral infections, can have an impact on foetal brain development. "These findings highlight the need to prevent infection in pregnancy, especially when vaccine confidence is declining," the researcher explained. 

In India, the studies have highlighted maternal and child health disparities that widened during the epidemic. According to the National Family Health Survey (NFHS-6) and ICMR estimations, more than 2.3 million pregnant women contracted COVID-19 between 2020 and 2022. 

Improved access to immunisations and hospital-based deliveries in urban India has boosted newborn detection and monitoring, allowing for earlier identification of health or developmental issues. However, the COVID-19 epidemic hampered this progress by delaying standard paediatric check-ups, resulting in missed opportunities for prompt developmental screenings during a child's vital first several years. 

Rural India, on the other hand, continues to have healthcare disparities. Only around 45% of pregnant women received at least one vaccine dose, and inadequate prenatal and postnatal care has resulted in many developmental disorders going untreated. Experts warn that approximately one in every ten Indian children under the age of three already has developmental deficits, a scenario exacerbated by the pandemic's continued impact on healthcare access and follow-up. These urban-rural discrepancies highlight the critical need for a stronger, more equitable early childhood health surveillance system in India. 

Across South Asia, countries such as Bangladesh, Nepal, and Sri Lanka confront comparable issues. According to paediatricians, there are few protocols in place to track the neurodevelopmental progress of infants born during the epidemic. Public health specialists now advocate for integrated maternal mental health, nutrition, and child development programs to detect early warning signs. 

Dr Roy Perlis, co-senior author of the study, stated that, while the overall risk is minimal, "parental awareness and early evaluation can make a major difference."