A new study published in JAMA Network Open reports that children born to parents with fertility issues have a slightly higher risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD). The research, involving 1.3 million children, suggests that the risk of ASD is increased in children of parents previously diagnosed with infertility, regardless of whether fertility treatments were involved. The study also highlights the role of obstetrical factors like multiple pregnancies and preterm births in mediating this association.
The study, led by Maria Velez of Queen’s University, evaluated pregnancy and infant characteristics in relation to infertility, its treatments, and ASD using existing linked administrative health data. Findings showed that children born to individuals who have been diagnosed with fertility issues are at a slightly higher risk of ASD. The incidence rate of ASD was 1.9 per 1,000 person-years among children in the unassisted conception group, and higher among children in the subfertility and after fertility treatment groups.
The results suggest that there is a slightly increased risk of ASD in children born to patients previously diagnosed with infertility, independent of whether they received fertility treatment or not. Additionally, the study found that some obstetrical factors, like having twins or giving birth preterm, mediate a large proportion of the association between parental infertility and ASD.
These findings support the continuation of efforts to minimize the chances of multiple pregnancy and preterm birth following fertility treatments, as well as the importance of providing early care plans for pregnant patients that received such treatments, aiming to reduce adverse pregnancy outcomes in this population.
Further studies are needed to understand the mechanisms by which a parental diagnosis of infertility, independent of fertility treatment, may be associated with the slightly higher risk of ASD in the child.
The study raises important questions about health outcomes for mothers and children that receive fertility treatment and highlights the need for continued research in this area to better understand the impacts of infertility and fertility treatments on child neurodevelopment.
This research provides valuable insight into the potential links between infertility, fertility treatments, and neurodevelopmental disorders, offering avenues for further exploration and potential interventions to support child neurodevelopment in this population.