Differences in Maternal and Neonatal Outcomes Between Pregnancies Following Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In...

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Perinatal Research

Background:

• Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) pregnancies are linked to adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes.
• It remains unclear whether these risks stem from infertility or the ART procedures themselves.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare maternal and neonatal outcomes between pregnancies conceived via Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF).
• To estimate the specific effect of fertility treatments on pregnancy outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective literature review of original studies comparing IUI and IVF pregnancies.
• Focus on singleton gestations, excluding donor sperm and multifetal pregnancies to minimize confounding.
• Interpretation of findings in the context of ART vs. non-ART evidence.

Main Results:

• Most studies indicated no significant difference in maternal outcomes, though reporting was inconsistent.
• Neonatal outcomes were reported more consistently, with less variation between studies.
• Current evidence suggests no substantial difference in neonatal outcomes between IVF and IUI.

Conclusions:

• Existing literature does not demonstrate significant differences in maternal and neonatal outcomes between IVF and IUI.
• Limitations in current studies hinder definitive conclusions.
• Further high-quality research is necessary to establish a clear correlation between specific fertility treatments and outcomes.