Relationship Between Assisted Reproductive Technology and Autism Spectrum Disorders: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Numerous studies have investigated the relationship between autism spectrum disorders (ASD) and the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART). However, the results have been inconclusive. This review aims to explore this association via the meta-analysis of existing studies. PubMed, Web of Knowledge, SCOPUS, and Embase databases were searched up to December 2023. Risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random or fixed effect models to explore the association between ART and ASD. A total of 20 records of cohort and case–control studies were analyzed and diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) published between 2013 and 2023. Children between the ages of 2–12 years were included in these studies via a census method. The results of the studies revealed a significant correlation between ART and ASD (RR = 1.43, 95% CI: 1.13–1.71, p = 0.006). Some subgroups revealed statistically significant relationships based on study location, design, and quality. The results suggest that using assisted reproductive technology elevates the susceptibility of children to develop ASD, but more large-scale and prospective studies are required to corroborate this conclusion, particularly in light of the divergent outcomes of some reviewed studies.