Source: @Brit / nappy.co
Black children conceived through in vitro or other fertility methods may be at risk of developing fatal health complications, a new study from the Centers For Disease Control and Prevention found.
The shocking discovery was uncovered after researchers at the CDC analyzed data from more than 7.5 million births involving single babies between 2016 and 2017. Of those, more than 93,000 children were conceived through medically assisted reproduction, such as IVF.
Data showed that death rates were four times higher among newborns up to 28 days old who were born to Black mothers who “used fertility technologies involving eggs or embryos,” the study noted, according to NBC News. “That death rate was 1.6% among babies born to Black mothers, compared with just 0.3% for babies born to white mothers.”
The same startling trend also seemed to be true for newborns of Hispanic and Asian, Pacific Islander mothers. Death rates were twice as high among both groups who conceived through fertility technologies like in vitro fertilization compared to white women, a newly published study by Pediatrics found.
Interestingly, the study four that “there were no significant differences, however, among newborns of Asian, Pacific Islander, Hispanic or white mothers who conceived spontaneously, without medical assistance. But death rates were twice as high among newborns of Black mothers who conceived spontaneously.”
Health disparities still exist, even for those who can afford IVF
Dr. Sarka Lisonkova, a lead author behind the study, said she believes that the issue may stem from inadequate healthcare during the IVF process, as women of color tend to experience medical bias and racism at a higher rate.
The data came as a shock to Lisonkova who thought that racial disparities would be smaller among those using expensive reproductive technology like IVF to conceive, but “It seems that there are still socioeconomic disparities, even in this particular group of relatively more affluent and educated women who usually tend to go through the fertility treatments,” she told CNN.
IVF treatments can be very expensive. The treatment can cost anywhere between $12,000 to $17,000, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures.
“There could still be residual confounding by socioeconomic status. The other thing is that there might be differential access to health services, particularly in this case of obstetric and maternity care services, and neonatal health services,” Lisonkova, added, noting how good quality healthcare during IVF treatment may lead to lower rates of infant death.
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