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Medical outcome of 8-year-old singleton ICSI children (born >or=32 weeks' gestation) and a spontaneously conceived
F Belva1, S Henriet, I Liebaers
1AZ-VUB-Medical Genetics, Brussels, Belgium. florence.belva@az.vub.ac.be
Insights
Intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) children showed higher rates of major congenital malformations by age 8. However, long-term health and development were comparable to spontaneously conceived children.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Limited data exists on the long-term health outcomes of children conceived via intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
- This study examines the eldest cohort of ICSI children globally, assessing them at age 8 for pubertal development and future fertility.
- Comprehensive medical and neurological evaluations were conducted to identify potential health issues.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the long-term health and developmental outcomes of children born following ICSI.
- To compare the health status of ICSI-conceived children with those conceived spontaneously at prepubertal stage.
- To monitor pubertal development and assess future fertility potential in ICSI offspring.
Main Methods:
- A cohort of 150 singletons born after ICSI (gestational age >= 32 weeks) was compared to 147 singletons born after spontaneous conception (SC).
- Participants were 8 years old at the time of assessment.
- Parental questionnaires provided general health information, supplemented by thorough medical and neurological examinations.
Main Results:
- A significantly higher incidence of major congenital malformations was observed in the ICSI group (15/150) compared to the SC group (5/147).
- Pubertal staging and neurological examinations revealed no significant differences between the ICSI and SC groups.
- ICSI children did not necessitate more remedial therapies, surgeries, or hospitalizations than their spontaneously conceived peers.
Conclusions:
- While major congenital malformations were more frequent in ICSI children, most were surgically correctable.
- Physical and neurological examinations did not reveal significant long-term health disparities between ICSI and SC children at age 8.
- Continued monitoring of ICSI-conceived children into adolescence and adulthood is recommended to fully understand their long-term health trajectory.
Background:
There is little information about the long-term outcome of children born after ICSI. In this study, the eldest cohort of ICSI children worldwide, reaching the age of 8 years, was investigated at the prepubertal stage to monitor subsequent puberty and future fertility. To investigate possible health problems, a thorough medical and neurological examination was performed.
Methods:
Medical outcome of 8-year-old singletons (n=150) born through ICSI (>or=32 weeks) was compared with that of 147 singletons of the same age born after spontaneous conception (SC). Information about their general health was obtained from the parents by means of a questionnaire.
Results:
Fifteen of 150 ICSI children experienced a major congenital malformation compared with 5/147 SC children (P < 0.05). Pubertal staging was similar in both groups. Neurological examination did not show important differences between ICSI and SC children. ICSI children did not require more remedial therapy or surgery or hospitalization than SC children.
Conclusion:
Physical examination including a thorough neurological examination did not reveal important differences between the two groups. Major congenital malformations were significantly more frequent in the ICSI group. However, most of them were corrected by minor surgery. Further monitoring of these children at an older age is recommended.
