Association Between Assisted Reproductive Technology and Cerebral Palsy: A Meta-Analysis

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Pediatric Neurology
• Public Health

Background:

• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) has enabled many births since 1978, but long-term health effects remain under investigation.
• Cerebral palsy (CP) is a significant concern, prompting research into potential links with ART.
• This study evaluates the risk of CP in ART-conceived children compared to spontaneously conceived (SC) children.

Approach:

• A comprehensive meta-analysis was conducted, searching PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science databases up to December 2022.
• Sixteen relevant studies were selected and their quality assessed using the Newcastle Ottawa Scale.
• Pooled odds ratios (OR) were calculated using a random-effects model, with meta-regression employed to explore heterogeneity.

Key Points:

• Children conceived via ART showed a significantly increased risk of CP (OR = 1.27).
• The risk was notably higher in singleton ART births (OR = 1.48) but not significant in multiple or preterm births.
• A substantially higher CP risk was observed in ART children born before 2000 (OR = 3.40).

Conclusions:

• ART is associated with a slight increase in CP risk, independent of multiple gestation.
• The study highlights a temporal trend, with reduced risk in more recent ART conceptions.
• Further research is essential to determine if ART techniques, infertility factors, or maternal conditions contribute to CP risk.