Rare In-Vitro Technique Raises Autism Risk, Study Says

A rare in-vitro fertilization technique that addresses male infertility is associated with an increased risk of autism and mental disability in children, compared with standard methods, according to a study that may prompt parents and doctors to take steps to reduce the danger.

The increased risk was among children born as a result of intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection in which a sperm surgically extracted from the testes is injected directly into an egg before being transplanted to the womb. Using the injection method with ejaculated sperm also raised the risks, though not as much, the researchers found. Less than 2 percent of children with either disorder were conceived using IVF, they said.