JAMA Psychiatry https://doi.org/10.1001/jamapsychiatry.2019.0029 (2019)

Neuropsychiatric disorders such as autism and depression are linked to fetal exposure to maternal infection.

It is known that the development of schizophrenia and autism are linked to fetal exposure to maternal infection; however, it is unknown how widespread the effects of maternal infection are on other mental disorders.

Swedish and US scientists analyzed the medical records of 1.8 million pregnant Swedish women and their children and found that infection diagnosed in a pregnant woman during a hospitalization increased the risk in her child of developing depression or autism later in life.

The study suggests that infection during pregnancy may result in minor brain injuries that can lead to neuropsychiatric disorders later in life.