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According to a study, babies conceived via in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and born to Black mothers are more likely to die in the first few months after birth than those born to white women. The report explored whether racial disparities in infant mortality rates were also present in babies born through fertility technologies.
Researchers found that all single births in the United States between 2016 and 2017 — 7.5 million births total. More than 93,000 of those babies were born via IVF technology. Within the first 28 days after birth, death rates among IVF babies born to Black mothers were four times higher than those born to white mothers. In addition, infant mortality rates were twice as high for babies of Asian, Pacific Islander, and Hispanic mothers who conceived with the help of IVF.
Dr. Sarka Lisonkova, the study’s lead author, admitted she was shocked by the results. Most mothers who utilize IVF treatment have the resources and access to better neonatal care regardless of their race. Thus, her team ultimately believed there wouldn’t be such a gap. But systemic racism in medicine still rears its ugly head. Furthermore, Dr. Lisonkova added that most infant deaths happen in the first 24 hours of birth because “something has gone wrong either with pregnancy or childbirth, or the baby was not developing well in utero.”
Factors for IVF Infant Mortality Rate
Dr. Lisonkova believes that a few factors could be at work. For instance, most Black women conceived at older ages than white women. Therefore, age might have increased their likelihood of pre-term birth. Another factor was reproductive health conditions such as Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS). Unfortunately, PCOS disproportionately impacts Black women.
“More research is needed to identify preventive measures for reducing risks among vulnerable women who use medically assisted reproduction,” Dr. Lisonkova.
According to the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), between 1987 and 2105, more than 1 million babies were born using IVF technology in the U.S. Regardless, Black mothers and their babies fare far worse during and after pregnancy. Some states and medical professionals, such as doulas, have worked to find ways to close that gap and provide Black mothers with the assistance they need.
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