Assisted conception and retinopathy of prematurity

This study was performed to assess the workload imposed by treatment for infertility on a retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening programme. We reviewed the records of all babies born between August 1991 and December 1994 as a result of treatment in the Assisted Conception Unit of this hospital, and of all babies screened for ROP over the same period. Of the babies born after assisted conception treatment, 20% fulfilled the ROP screening criteria. ROP of any stage was present in 23% of all the assisted conception babies screened. This group also accounted for a large proportion of those reaching stage 3 disease and of those requiring treatment.