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How Are They Doing? Neurodevelopmental Outcomes at School Age of Children Born Following Assisted Reproductive

Adel Farhi1, Saralee Glasser1, Lidia V Gabis2,3

  • 1Gertner Institute for Epidemiology & Health Policy Research Ltd, Women & Children's Health Research Unit, Tel Hashomer, Israel.

Journal of Child Neurology
|November 2, 2020
PubMed

Insights

Children conceived via assisted reproductive treatments showed similar neurodevelopmental outcomes to spontaneously conceived peers. While not statistically significant, some trends suggested a slightly higher risk for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism spectrum disorder in the assisted reproductive treatment group.

Area of Science:

  • Reproductive Medicine and Developmental Pediatrics
  • Neurodevelopmental Outcomes
  • Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)

Background:

  • Understanding the long-term neurodevelopmental effects of assisted reproductive treatments (ART) is crucial for assessing child health outcomes.
  • Previous research has yielded mixed results regarding potential differences between children conceived via ART and those conceived spontaneously.
  • Early school years represent a critical period for identifying neurodevelopmental trajectories and potential risks.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To compare major neurodevelopmental aspects in children conceived via ART versus spontaneously conceived children.
  • To evaluate outcomes related to developmental coordination, sensory processing, autism spectrum disorder, and attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in early school-aged children.

Main Methods:

  • A follow-up study involving telephone interviews with mothers of 358 ART-conceived children and 401 spontaneously conceived children at 7-8 years of age.
  • Utilized four validated questionnaires: Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire, Short Sensory Profile, Autism Spectrum Screening Questionnaire, and ADHD Child Symptom Inventory-4.
  • Maternal reports of diagnosed ADHD and autism spectrum disorder were collected and analyzed.

Main Results:

  • No significant differences were observed between ART and spontaneously conceived groups in measures of developmental coordination or sensory processing.
  • A trend towards a higher, though not statistically significant, rate of diagnosed ADHD was noted in the ART group (9.6% vs. 5.5%).
  • Autism spectrum disorder diagnoses and screening scores did not differ significantly, although a higher proportion of diagnosed cases were in the ART group (5 out of 6).

Conclusions:

  • Overall neurodevelopmental measures were comparable between children conceived via ART and spontaneously conceived children.
  • Findings were inconclusive regarding a definitive increased risk for ADHD or autism spectrum disorder associated with ART.
  • This study contributes valuable data to the understanding of long-term outcomes following assisted reproductive treatments.
Abstract

Keywords:
ADHDassisted reproductive treatmentautism spectrum disorderlong-term outcomesmotor developmentneurodevelopmentschool age

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