Parental fertility problems linked to higher risk of autism and ADHD symptoms in kids

Embargoed until: Publicly released: 2026-06-09 01:00

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Children born after a fertility struggle are more likely to show signs of autism and ADHD, according to international researchers who say this link exists regardless of whether the children were conceived using IVF or other infertility treatments. The team analysed data from about 15,000 mother-parent pairs, looking at fertility problems, fertility treatments, and who had a natural conception birth despite their fertility challenges. Looking at parent-reported autism and ADHD symptoms in the children, the researchers say fertility issues were linked to more behaviour problems, autism symptoms and autism diagnoses, with similar rates seen in kids conceived with or without fertility treatment. Non-IVF fertility treatment was linked to a higher chance of ADHD compared to natural conception with fertility issues, the researchers say, suggesting this type of fertility treatment may need further investigation when looking at potential brain development risks.

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Journal/
conference: JAMA Network Open

Research:Paper

Organisation/s: New York University, USA

Funder: Research reported in this publication was supported by the Environmental influences on Child Health Outcomes (ECHO) Program, Office of the Director, NIH, under award No. U2COD023375 (coordinating center), U24OD023382 (data analysis center), U24OD023319 (with cofunding from the Office of Behavioral and Social Science Research [measurement core]), U24OD035523 (laboratory core), U24ES026539 (Human Health Exposure Analysis Resource [HHEAR]; principal investigator [PI]: Barbara O’Brien), U2CES026533 (HHEAR; PI: Lisa Peterson), U2CES026542 (HHEAR; PIs: Patrick Parsons and Kannan Kurunthachalam), U2CES030859 (HHEAR; PI: Manish Arora), U2CES030857 (HHEAR; PIs: Timothy R. Fennell, Susan J. Sumner, and Xiuxia Du), U2CES026555 (HHEAR; PI: Susan L. Teitelbaum), U2CES026561 (HHEAR; PI: Robert O.Wright), U2CES030851 (HHEAR; PIs: Heather M. Stapleton and P. Lee Ferguson), UG3/UH3OD023251 (PI: Akram Alshawabkeh), UH3OD023320 and UG3OD035546 (PI: Judy Aschner), UH3OD023332 (PIs: Clancy Blair and Leonardo Trasande), UG3/UH3OD023253 (PI: Carlos Camargo), UG3/UH3OD023248 and UG3OD035526 (PI: Dana Dabelea), UG3/UH3OD023313 (PI: Daphne Koinis Mitchell), UH3OD023328 (PI: Cristiane Duarte), UH3OD023318 (PI: Anne Dunlop), UG3/UH3OD023279 (PI:Amy Elliott), UG3/UH3OD023289 (PI: Assiamira Ferrara), UG3/UH3OD023282 (PI: James Gern), UH3OD023287 (PI: Carrie Breton), UG3/UH3OD023365 (PI: Irva Hertz-Picciotto), UG3/UH3OD023244 (PI: Alison Hipwell), UG3/UH3OD023275 (PI: Margaret Karagas), UH3OD023271 and UG3OD035528 (PI: Catherine Karr), UH3OD023347 (PI: Barry Lester), UG3/UH3OD023389 (PI: Leslie Leve), UG3/UH3OD023344 (PI: Debra MacKenzie), UH3OD023268 (PI: ScottWeiss), UG3/UH3OD023288 (PI: Cynthia McEvoy), UG3/UH3OD023342 (PI: Kristen Lyall), UG3/UH3OD023349 (PI: Thomas O’Connor), UH3OD023286 and UG3OD035533 (PI: Emily Oken), UG3/UH3OD023348 (PI: Mike O’Shea), UG3/UH3OD023285 (PI: Jean Kerver), UG3/UH3OD023290 (PI: Julie Herbstman), UG3/UH3OD023272 (PI: Susan Schantz), UG3/UH3OD023249 (PI: Joseph Stanford), UG3/UH3OD023305 (PI: Leonardo Trasande), UG3/UH3OD023337 (PI: RosalindWright), UG3OD035508 (PI: Sheela Sathyanarayana), UG3OD035509 (PI: Anne Marie Singh), UG3OD035513 and UG3OD035532 (PI: Annemarie Stroustrup), UG3OD035516 and UG3OD035517 (PI: Tina Hartert), UG3OD035518 (PI: Jennifer Straughen), UG3OD035519 (PI: Qi Zhao), UG3OD035521 (PI: Katherine Rivera-Spoljaric), UG3OD035527 (PI: Emily S Barrett), UG3OD035540 (PI: Monique Marie Hedderson), UG3OD035543 (PI: Kelly J Hunt), UG3OD035537 (PI: Sunni L Mumford), UG3OD035529 (PI: Hong-Ngoc Nguyen), UG3OD035542 (PI: Hudson Santos), UG3OD035550 (PI: Rebecca Schmidt), UG3OD035536 (PI: Jonathan Slaughter), UG3OD035544 (PI: Kristina Whitworth).

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