Association between infertility and mental health of offspring in the United States: a population based cohort study

Abstract

There exist conflicting data in regard to the health outcomes of offspring born to infertile couples and follow up of offspring can be challenging. The objective of the study was to determine the association between infertility in men and women and the mental health of their offspring. The present study analyzes data obtained from the IBM Marketscan™ Commercial Claims and Encounters database from 2007 through 2015. Overall, 271,603 children of males with male factor infertility, 328,571 children of females with female factor infertility, 663,568 children of males who later underwent vasectomy were identified. The odds of psychosis were increased in offspring of those with male factor infertility (OR 1.25, 95% CI 1.22–1.29) and female factor infertility (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.17–1.23). Offspring of infertile males (OR 1.19, 95% CI 1.13–1.26) and infertile females (OR 1.20, 95% CI 1.14–1.26) had an increased odds of autism compared to the reference group. In addition, offspring of infertile males (OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.28–1.7) and infertile females (OR 1.52, 95% CI 1.33–1.73) had higher odds of being diagnosed with an intellectual disability. Therefore, offspring of infertile men or women may have an increased risk of developing psychosis, autism, or intellectual disability.

Keywords:

• Infertility
• offspring
• mental health
• epidemiology

Disclosure statement

All authors have completed the ICMJE uniform disclosure form at www.icmje.org/coi_disclosure.pdf and declare: no support from any organisation for the submitted work; no financial relationships with any organisations that might have an interest in the submitted work in the previous three years; no other relationships or activities that could appear to have influenced the submitted work.