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Growth and development of children conceived by in vitro fertilization
J M Brandes1, A Scher, J Itzkovits
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology A, Rambam Medical Center, Haifa, Israel.
Insights
Infants born via in vitro fertilization (IVF) show normal physical and mental development, comparable to non-IVF peers. However, IVF infants had lower birth weights and gestational ages, with multiples exhibiting reduced developmental indices.
Area of Science:
- Pediatrics
- Developmental Psychology
- Reproductive Medicine
Background:
- In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a common assisted reproductive technology.
- Assessing the long-term developmental outcomes of IVF-conceived children is crucial.
- Previous studies have yielded mixed results regarding IVF infant development.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the physical and mental development of infants conceived via IVF.
- To compare the developmental trajectories of IVF infants with matched non-IVF controls.
- To identify factors influencing the development of IVF children.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 116 IVF infants and 116 matched non-IVF controls were examined.
- Developmental assessments included the Bayley and Stanford-Binet scales.
- Physical examinations evaluated growth parameters and gestational age.
Main Results:
- IVF infants demonstrated normal developmental indices, similar to controls.
- Developmental indices correlated positively with gestational age, birth weight, head circumference, and maternal education.
- IVF infants had lower mean birth weight and gestational age than the general population but comparable weight and length percentiles to controls.
- Head circumference percentiles were similar to normal means in both IVF and control groups.
- Twins and triplets, regardless of conception method, showed significantly lower physical and mental indices than singletons.
Conclusions:
- IVF does not appear to negatively impact the overall physical and mental development of single-born infants.
- Gestational age and birth weight are significant factors in infant development, even for IVF-conceived children.
- Multiple births, whether conceived via IVF or naturally, are associated with poorer developmental outcomes compared to singletons.
Abstract:
To assess the physical and mental development of infants born after in vitro fertilization (IVF), we performed a general physical and developmental examination (Bayley and Stanford-Binet scales) on a cohort of 116 IVF children, conceived and born at our institution between February 1985 and March 1989, and on 116 non-IVF matched controls. Study and control groups were each composed of 66 singletons, 19 pairs of twins and 4 sets of triplets, whose age at examination ranged from 12 to 45 months. The developmental indices of IVF infants were within the normal range and did not differ from those of their matched controls. The indices were positively correlated to gestational age, birth weight, head circumference at birth and at examination, and mother's education. Mean birth weight, gestational age, and birth weight percentile of IVF infants were lower than the mean of the healthy population. Mean percentiles of weight and length at examination (mean age 22.4 months) were equally low but did not differ from those of the matched controls. However, mean percentiles of head circumference at birth and at examination compare well with the normal mean, both in IVF and control groups. Twins and triplets (IVF and controls) had significantly lower physical and mental indices as compared to singletons.