Newborn outcome after assisted reproductive technology: experiences and reflections from Poland

In spite of much ethical uncertainty and wide variations in obstetric and neonatal outcomes reported in the literature, we have studied the outcome of Polish newborns after assisted reproductive technology (ART). In all of our patients, both obstetrics and neonatal care were performed in the Level Three Center in Poznan, Poland. A total of 45 and 82 newborns were analyzed from the ART and the control group, respectively. We analyzed gestational age, birth weight, Apgar score, duration of hospitalization, newborn mortality, and congenital malformations. We found a far higher rate of mothers over 35 years and with university education in ART compared to controls. The incidence of cesarean section and birth weight <1,500 g was much higher in ART. Newborn mortality was much higher among ART newborns compared to controls and was related to premature delivery of triplet pregnancy. The most important factor resulting in high neonatal mortality in our study group was multiple pregnancy. We consider the lack of regulation in Poland concerning the number of replaced embryos as a main factor influencing newborns' outcome after ART.