Impact of prenatal SARS-CoV-2 exposure and vaccination on a child’s behavior, thinking, and brain function
Official title: The longer-term impact of prenatal exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection and the COVID-19 vaccine on behavior, cognition, and brain functioning in the child
Funded at Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · NIH-11345368 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A study following children up to age 3 to understand how being exposed to COVID-19 before birth and maternal vaccination during pregnancy might affect behavior, thinking skills, and brain function.
Quick facts
| Grant type | R01 grant |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (New York, United States) |
| Project start | August 19, 2022 |
| Project end | June 30, 2027 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $712,656 |
| NIH project number | 5R01HD109613-05 |
| Project ID | NIH-11345368 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Pregnant individuals and their children up to age 3 whose prenatal exposure includes SARS-CoV-2 infection and/or maternal vaccination, with follow-up of their offspring.
✕Less likely to help
Children without prenatal exposure to SARS-CoV-2 infection or vaccination during pregnancy may see no direct benefit from participation.
What this research studies
This project will enroll and follow a well-characterized birth cohort to examine links between maternal SARS-CoV-2 infection during pregnancy and later child development. It will compare children whose mothers had COVID-19 during pregnancy with those who did not, as well as those whose mothers received the COVID-19 vaccine in pregnancy. The team will collect developmental, behavioral, and brain-imaging data over time to identify potential associations with neurodevelopmental outcomes. The study emphasizes rigorous data collection, careful confounder control, and longitudinal follow-up to better understand potential risks or safety signals for children. Findings could inform guidelines for maternal health during pregnancy and early childhood monitoring, with the goal of supporting healthy development in children exposed to SARS-CoV-2 or vaccine exposure in utero.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: It could improve understanding of factors that influence child neurodevelopment after prenatal exposure to SARS-CoV-2 and maternal vaccination, guiding safer pregnancy and early-life care.
How similar studies have gone: Prior animal and human studies suggest potential neurodevelopmental effects of prenatal infections, making this a timely, but still exploratory, human study.
Where this research is happening
-
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
New York, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Rommel, Anna-Sophie — Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai
- Study coordinator: Rommel, Anna-Sophie
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.