BGU Study: Flu Vaccine in Pregnancy Doesn’t Increase Autism
BGU Study: Flu Vaccine in Pregnancy Doesn’t Increase Autism
February 11, 2026
Prof. Gal Meiri, The National Autism Research Center
Ynet News—A major Israeli study led by researchers at Ben-Gurion University of the Negev (BGU) provides strong evidence that receiving a flu vaccine during pregnancy does not increase the risk of autism in children. Published in JCPP Advances, the study analyzed data from more than 153,000 births in Israel between 2016 and 2020, making it one of the most comprehensive examinations of the issue to date. The research was conducted in collaboration with Soroka University Medical Center, Clalit Health Services, and the Azrieli National Center for Autism and Neurodevelopment Research.
As noted by Ynetnews, researchers followed children through 2024 using extensive medical records that included pregnancy, vaccination, and long-term developmental data. After adjusting for sociodemographic and clinical factors such as maternal age, ethnicity, location, and access to health care, the researchers found no association between influenza vaccination during pregnancy and autism spectrum disorders—regardless of the trimester in which the vaccine was administered.
Initial data appeared to show slightly higher autism diagnosis rates among children of vaccinated mothers, but those differences disappeared once researchers accounted for disparities in health care access and diagnostic awareness. Populations with higher vaccination rates also tend to have greater access to medical services and earlier diagnoses, while lower diagnosis rates in other communities reflect reduced access—not a protective effect of avoiding vaccination.
The study also reinforced the importance of vaccination itself. “Infection during pregnancy, especially when accompanied by prolonged fever, can increase the prevalence of neurodevelopmental problems,” Prof. Meiri said, as highlighted by Ynet News. “Influenza is one of the most common illnesses that causes prolonged fever, which is why protecting the mother’s health through vaccination also protects the fetus.”
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