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Does adoption affect subsequent fertility?

E J Lamb, S Leurgans

    American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
    |May 15, 1979
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    This study investigated if adoption impacts subsequent fertility. Analysis of 895 couples found no significant difference in conception rates between those who adopted and those who did not, refuting the old wives' tale.

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    Area of Science:

    • Reproductive Medicine
    • Infertility Studies
    • Adoption Research

    Background:

    • The common belief, or old wives' tale, suggests that adoption may increase subsequent fertility.
    • This hypothesis lacks robust scientific investigation, particularly concerning couples seeking fertility treatment.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To empirically test the hypothesis that adoption positively influences subsequent fertility rates.
    • To analyze follow-up data from couples registered at the Stanford Infertility Clinic to determine the effect of adoption on conception.

    Main Methods:

    • Follow-up data from 895 couples registered between 1963 and 1977 were analyzed.
    • Statistical methods, including the Cox proportional hazards model and Mantel-Haenszel statistic, were employed.
    • Analysis controlled for time at risk, adoption status, and covariates such as age and duration of infertility.

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    Main Results:

    • Initial comparisons suggested lower fertility post-adoption, but this was deemed a spurious effect.
    • The Cox model revealed a relative risk of conception not significantly different from 1 for adoptive couples.
    • The Mantel-Haenszel statistic (m = 0.208) confirmed no significant difference in conception rates between adoptive and non-adoptive groups.
    • Controlling for seven covariates did not alter the finding of no significant difference in conception risk.

    Conclusions:

    • The study's findings do not support the hypothesis that adoption enhances subsequent fertility.
    • No statistically significant impact of adoption on conception rates was observed in the studied cohort.
    • This research provides evidence against the traditional belief regarding adoption and fertility.