Can IVF influence human evolution?

Area of Science:

• Evolutionary biology
• Reproductive medicine
• Human genetics

Background:

• Fertility and pregnancy are fundamental evolutionary processes involving natural selection.
• Assisted reproductive technologies like in vitro fertilization (IVF) circumvent natural selection.

Purpose of the Study:

• To discuss selection and screening factors in natural fertilization and pregnancy.
• To assess in vitro fertilization (IVF) practices within an evolutionary framework.
• To evaluate the potential impact of assisted reproduction on human evolution.

Main Methods:

• Review of evolutionary principles related to fertility and reproduction.
• Analysis of in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedures and their selection pressures.
• Discussion of potential individual and population-level consequences of altered selection.

Main Results:

• In vitro fertilization (IVF) bypasses fundamental natural selection mechanisms.
• Differences in selection pressures may arise between natural conception and IVF.

Conclusions:

• Assisted reproduction warrants examination within an evolutionary context.
• Changes in reproductive genotypes due to IVF could influence human evolution.