The effect of fertility treatment and socioeconomic status on neonatal and post-neonatal mortality in the United States

Objective: To determine the association between fertility treatment, socioeconomic status (SES), and neonatal and post-neonatal mortality.

Study design: Retrospective cohort study of all births (19,350,344) and infant deaths from 2014-2018 in the United States. The exposure was mode of conception-spontaneous vs fertility treatment. The outcome was neonatal (<28d), and post-neonatal (28d-1y) mortality. Multivariable logistic models were stratified by SES.

Result: The fertility treatment group had statistically significantly higher odds of neonatal mortality (high SES OR 1.59; CI [1.5, 1.68], low SES OR 2.11; CI [1.79, 2.48]) and lower odds of post-neonatal mortality (high SES OR 0.87, CI [0.76, 0.996], low SES OR 0.6, CI [0.38, 0.95]). SES significantly modified the effect of ART/NIFT on neonatal and post-neonatal mortality.

Conclusions: Fertility treatment is associated with higher neonatal and lower post-neonatal mortality and SES modifies this effect. Socioeconomic policies and support for vulnerable families may help reduce rates of infant mortality.