[Health status of mothers undergoing in vitro fertilization and their offspring]

To review the health status of mothers undergoing in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer (IVF) and their offspring.

Health status of 210 IVF mothers and offspring performed from January 1, 2001 through December 31, 2002 was compared with that of those who conceived naturally retrospectively.

A significant differences were found in rates of multiple births, hypertensive disorders in pregnancy,cesarean section, preterm delivery,low (and very low) birth weight infant,malformation(33.33 % with compared 1.72 %, 10.87 % with compared 4.59 %, 89.85 % with compared 65.57 %, 24.64 % with compared 6.27 %, 25.68 % with compared 8.23 %, 3.83 % with compared 1.17 %, all P<0.01) between IVF and those conceived naturally. The rates of hypertensive disorders in pregnancy,preterm delivery, low (and very low) birth weight infant were related to the rate of multiple births OR. 95 %CI were 3.49, 1.16-10.50; 13.65, 5.39-34.58; 14.91, 5.53-40.17; respectively. There was no statistical difference in neonatal outcome between normal IVF and intra-cytop-lasmic sperm injection (P>0.05); no difference in height and weight between full-term and preterm (P>0.05).

Assisted reproductive technologies increase multiple births rate, resulting in high rates of hypertensive disorders, preterm delivery, low (and very low) birth weight infant.