Global outbreaks of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and respiratory viruses - severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) and influenza, accounted for ~50 million infections in 2024. Prenatal exposure to these viruses poses substantial risks to maternal and fetal health, yet the underlying immunological mechanisms remain incompletely understood. Despite differences in viral biology and transmission, mounting evidence reveals a convergent theme of maternal immune activation during pregnancy. Even without vertical transmission, virus-elicted maternal immune responses alter the maternal-fetal interface and gut microbiome, reshaping fetal immunity and birth outcomes. These immune perturbations increase susceptibility to infections, neurodevelopmental disorders, and immune-mediated diseases later in life. Here, we discuss viral immune evasion strategies that modulate maternal immunity and review current clinical and emerging therapeutic approaches aimed at mitigating long-term consequences in exposed children. Understanding how prenatal viral exposure shapes lifelong health is critical for developing targeted interventions and reducing postnatal disease burden.
Salem et al. (2026) studied this question.