Latest news with #BonnieAuyeung
The Independent
20-02-2025
- Health
- The Independent
No increased risk to child of Covid-19 infection or vaccination in pregnancy
Contracting Covid-19 or being vaccinated against it during pregnancy does not increase the risk of child developmental health issues, research indicates. A study of the majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic – 25,000 babies – found no link between concerns with a child's development at 13 to 15 months and the mother contracting the virus during pregnancy. Receiving the vaccine while pregnant also had no connection with issues in the infants in developing skills such as speech, thinking, movement and language, the Edinburgh University study found. These important findings can help inform clinical guidance, and reassure pregnant individuals of the safety of Covid-19 vaccines Researcher Iain Hardie Researcher Iain Hardie said: 'Our study suggests that neither SARS-CoV-2 infection, nor Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy impact foetal brain development and subsequent child development up to age 13-15 months. 'These important findings can help inform clinical guidance, and reassure pregnant individuals of the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.' The team linked data from a previous Covid-19 in Pregnancy in Scotland study on virus infections and Covid-19 vaccinations while pregnant to developmental concerns raised at routine health reviews. The reviews recorded concerns with a child's development aged 13-15 months raised by the parents, caregivers or health visitors. Researchers found no evidence of a link between developmental concerns at that age and their mothers having either contracted Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it during pregnancy, regardless of the trimester the infection or vaccination occurred. The study assessed the majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic – those conceived after May 18 2020 and born before September 30 2021 – and their mothers. The research, in partnership with Public Health Scotland, was conducted as part of the wider Covid-19 Health Impact on long-term Child Development in Scotland (Childs) study. Principal researcher and originator of the Childs study, Bonnie Auyeung, said: 'We are delighted that our work has been recognised by the Lancet as a valuable contribution to the global body of evidence about the impact of Covid-19. 'What is particularly novel about this study is its scale. This is because our partnership with Public Health Scotland enabled us to include the vast majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic. 'To our knowledge this is the first study of its kind, internationally. It illustrates the enormous value of an integrated health service which is ready to partner with researchers like ourselves to further globally significant research.' The team plans to examine the same group of children at 27-30 months and four-to-five years as some development concerns do not emerge until after 15 months. The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, is published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.
Euronews
19-02-2025
- Health
- Euronews
No link between COVID vaccines and infection during pregnancy and developmental delays in toddlers
Women who got COVID-19 or were vaccinated during pregnancy do not have a higher risk of having children with developmental problems, according to a major new study from Scotland. Previous research in Switzerland and the United States offered some reassurance, but the new study, published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health journal on Wednesday, is the largest analysis to date to confirm the safety of the vaccine for pregnant women and their babies. The study included nearly 25,000 babies born in Scotland in 2020 and 2021. Health workers visited the families' homes for routine checks when the babies were 13 to 15 months old, monitoring any concerns with speech, language skills, thinking, emotional development, and physical movement. Researchers from the University of Edinburgh then tracked their mothers' health histories – and found no link between COVID-19 infection or vaccination during pregnancy and child development issues. The findings held up regardless of which trimester the mothers were vaccinated or infected. The researchers said the results should bolster parents' confidence in the safety of the jabs, especially given that early COVID-19 vaccine trials excluded pregnant women. 'Vaccination safety is something that has been called into question quite a lot recently,' Bonnie Auyeung, the study's senior author and a reader in child health at the University of Edinburgh, told Euronews Health. 'Hopefully these early findings will support parents and their decisions around whether or not to take the vaccine, and for those who do take it, it does appear that it is safe for the developing child'. Developmental issues more evident in older children According to the European Medicines Agency (EMA), which regulates drugs and vaccines in the European Union, COVID-19 vaccines do not raise the risk of pregnancy complications, miscarriage, premature birth, or health issues for babies. Notably, women who get COVID-19 during pregnancy are more likely to fall seriously ill, especially in the second and third trimesters, the agency says. The study authors noted that developmental concerns aren't always noticed until children are older. They said they plan to follow the same families in the coming years to track whether a link emerges. However, for now, the findings should help bolster guidance from doctors and other medical professionals that the vaccine is safe for pregnant women and their babies. 'Clinical guidance is still quite mixed,' Auyeung said, but 'it does appear that vaccination during pregnancy doesn't actually lead to any developmental problems'.
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
No increased risk to child of Covid-19 infection or vaccination in pregnancy
Contracting Covid-19 or being vaccinated against it during pregnancy does not increase the risk of child developmental health issues, research indicates. A study of the majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic – 25,000 babies – found no link between concerns with a child's development at 13 to 15 months and the mother contracting the virus during pregnancy. Receiving the vaccine while pregnant also had no connection with issues in the infants in developing skills such as speech, thinking, movement and language, the Edinburgh University study found. Researcher Iain Hardie said: 'Our study suggests that neither SARS-CoV-2 infection, nor Covid-19 vaccination during pregnancy impact foetal brain development and subsequent child development up to age 13-15 months. 'These important findings can help inform clinical guidance, and reassure pregnant individuals of the safety of Covid-19 vaccines.' The team linked data from a previous Covid-19 in Pregnancy in Scotland study on virus infections and Covid-19 vaccinations while pregnant to developmental concerns raised at routine health reviews. The reviews recorded concerns with a child's development aged 13-15 months raised by the parents, caregivers or health visitors. Researchers found no evidence of a link between developmental concerns at that age and their mothers having either contracted Covid-19 or been vaccinated against it during pregnancy, regardless of the trimester the infection or vaccination occurred. The study assessed the majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic – those conceived after May 18 2020 and born before September 30 2021 – and their mothers. The research, in partnership with Public Health Scotland, was conducted as part of the wider Covid-19 Health Impact on long-term Child Development in Scotland (Childs) study. Principal researcher and originator of the Childs study, Bonnie Auyeung, said: 'We are delighted that our work has been recognised by the Lancet as a valuable contribution to the global body of evidence about the impact of Covid-19. 'What is particularly novel about this study is its scale. This is because our partnership with Public Health Scotland enabled us to include the vast majority of children born in Scotland during the pandemic. 'To our knowledge this is the first study of its kind, internationally. It illustrates the enormous value of an integrated health service which is ready to partner with researchers like ourselves to further globally significant research.' The team plans to examine the same group of children at 27-30 months and four-to-five years as some development concerns do not emerge until after 15 months. The study, funded by the Economic and Social Research Council, is published in The Lancet Child and Adolescent Health.
