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Body composition in children and adolescents born after in vitro fertilization or spontaneous conception

Manon Ceelen1, Mirjam M van Weissenbruch, Jan C Roos

  • 1Departments of Paediatrics, Institute for Clinical and Experimental Neuroscience, VU University Medical Center, 1081 HV Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

The Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism
|June 28, 2007
PubMed

Insights

Children conceived via in vitro fertilization (IVF) show altered body fat composition compared to naturally conceived peers. This highlights the need for long-term monitoring of IVF children for potential health issues.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine
  • Pediatric Endocrinology
  • Human Development

Background:

  • Prenatal environmental factors are linked to adult chronic diseases.
  • The long-term impact of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on early human development and health is not fully understood.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate body composition differences in children conceived via IVF compared to spontaneously conceived controls.
  • To assess body fat distribution and bone mineral composition in adolescents aged 8-18 years.

Main Methods:

  • A follow-up study involving 233 IVF singletons and 233 matched controls.
  • Body composition assessed using anthropometry and dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry in pubertal participants.

Main Results:

  • IVF children exhibited a lower subscapular-triceps skinfold ratio and increased peripheral body fat compared to controls.
  • Trends suggested higher total body fat in IVF children, though not statistically significant.
  • No significant differences in bone mineral composition were observed between groups.

Conclusions:

  • In vitro fertilization conception appears to be associated with disturbed body fat composition in children.
  • Long-term follow-up of IVF children is crucial to monitor body fat patterns and related health risks into adulthood.
Abstract

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