Cerebral palsy risk in test tube babies

Test tube babies have a higher risk of neurological problems, especially cerebral palsy, because of the higher chances of twin pregnancies, low birth weight, and prematurity among babies born by In Vitro Fertilization which is an alternative method of conception. Such babies are popularly known as Test Tube Babies. This is a technique to provide a child to infertile couples. During this treatment doctors routinely implant more than one fertilised egg to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy, but it often causes multiple births, which can result in premature and low birthweight babies. Multiple birth is a major cause of increase in cerebral palsy. Cerebral palsy is a group of disorders resulting from brain damage that occurs before, during or shortly after birth. It is characterised by abnormal movement and nerve functions. Those affected by it have problems of mobility (crawling, creeping, walking), use of hands (eating, writing, dressing) and communication. The researchers at Uppsala University Children's Hospital in Sweden compared 5,680 test tube babies and 11,360 children conceived naturally. They found the IVF babies had a 70 percent increased risk of having a developmental problem and were three times more likely to suffer from cerebral palsy. The odds of multiple births could be avoided by implanting only one fertilised egg in the womb during IVF. One in six couples experience some form of fertility problem. Ever since the world's first test tube baby was born more than 20 years ago more than one million children have been conceived through assisted reproduction. Although most children born by IVF are healthy but they are at increased risk of neurological disability, impairment, or handicap, especially cerebral palsy.

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