Recent research has found a higher rate of birth defects among babies conceived by assisted reproduction as compared to babies conceived naturally.
Recent research has found a higher rate of birth defects among babies conceived by assisted reproduction as compared to babies conceived naturally.
Researchers looked at all deliveries in the province of Ontario in Canada in 2005 for which information was available on reproductive assistance. Their analysis included 43,462 babies conceived naturally; 298 whose mothers had been given drugs to promote ovulation; 173 conceived when semen was injected into the mother's uterus (intrauterine insemination); and 319 conceived by in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Among infants conceived with any type of assistance, almost 3 percent were diagnosed with a major birth defect in the womb or soon after birth, compared to less than 2 percent of the babies conceived naturally. These infants also were more likely to have birth defects involving the gastrointestinal system, the cardiovascular system, or the muscles and skeleton, although their risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida or facial defects such as cleft palate was not increased.
When the researchers looked at the assisted reproduction techniques separately, they found that 2 percent of those born after ovulation induction, 3 percent of those born via intrauterine insemination, and 3.5 percent of those born via IVF had major birth defects. However, because the numbers of women in these individual groups was small, the findings could have been due to chance, and the differences were not statistically significant. The average age of the mothers who had conceived naturally was around 29 years, compared to about 32 years for those who had ovulation induction, 34 years for those who underwent intrauterine insemination, and 35 years for those who conceived via IVF.
According to the researchers it is scientifically plausible that babies born with assisted reproduction face a higher risk for major birth defects, given the interventions required in these treatments. One contributing factor could be the greater age of mothers - and fathers - who undergo this treatment. However, further research is needed to clarify individual contributions.
Researchers looked at all deliveries in the province of Ontario in Canada in 2005 for which information was available on reproductive assistance. Their analysis included 43,462 babies conceived naturally; 298 whose mothers had been given drugs to promote ovulation; 173 conceived when semen was injected into the mother's uterus (intrauterine insemination); and 319 conceived by in-vitro fertilisation (IVF).
Among infants conceived with any type of assistance, almost 3 percent were diagnosed with a major birth defect in the womb or soon after birth, compared to less than 2 percent of the babies conceived naturally. These infants also were more likely to have birth defects involving the gastrointestinal system, the cardiovascular system, or the muscles and skeleton, although their risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida or facial defects such as cleft palate was not increased.
When the researchers looked at the assisted reproduction techniques separately, they found that 2 percent of those born after ovulation induction, 3 percent of those born via intrauterine insemination, and 3.5 percent of those born via IVF had major birth defects. However, because the numbers of women in these individual groups was small, the findings could have been due to chance, and the differences were not statistically significant. The average age of the mothers who had conceived naturally was around 29 years, compared to about 32 years for those who had ovulation induction, 34 years for those who underwent intrauterine insemination, and 35 years for those who conceived via IVF.
According to the researchers it is scientifically plausible that babies born with assisted reproduction face a higher risk for major birth defects, given the interventions required in these treatments. One contributing factor could be the greater age of mothers - and fathers - who undergo this treatment. However, further research is needed to clarify individual contributions.
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