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Postnatal growth and health in children born after cryopreservation as embryos
U B Wennerholm1, K Albertsson-Wikland, C Bergh
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Sahlgrenska University Hospital, Göteborg, Sweden.
Insights
Children born from in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) using cryopreserved embryos show similar growth and health outcomes to those conceived via fresh embryo IVF or spontaneous pregnancies. The cryopreservation process does not appear to negatively impact early childhood development.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Pediatric Health
- Developmental Biology
Background:
- Uncertainty exists regarding the health and growth of children conceived via in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) using cryopreserved embryos.
- This study compares outcomes in children born from cryopreserved embryos to those from fresh embryo IVF and spontaneous pregnancies.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the postnatal growth and health of children born from cryopreserved embryo IVF.
- To compare these outcomes with children born from fresh embryo IVF and naturally conceived pregnancies up to 18 months of age.
Main Methods:
- A cohort study matched 255 children born from cryopreserved embryos with 255 from fresh embryo IVF and 252 from spontaneous pregnancies.
- Growth was assessed using standard Swedish growth charts and standard deviation scores.
- Secondary endpoints included major malformations, chronic illness prevalence, and developmental milestones up to 18 months.
Main Results:
- Growth patterns were comparable across all three groups for both singletons and twins.
- No significant differences were observed in the prevalence of major malformations (2.4% vs 3.5% vs 3.2%) or chronic illnesses (18.0% vs 15.3% vs 16.7%) between the cryopreserved, fresh IVF, and spontaneous pregnancy groups.
- The study found no adverse effects on growth or common health issues in infants conceived via cryopreserved embryo IVF.
Conclusions:
- The cryopreservation process for embryos does not appear to adversely affect the growth and health of children during infancy and early childhood.
- While major health concerns are not elevated, the possibility of minor handicaps or developmental issues like attention or perception dysfunction cannot be entirely excluded at this early age.
Background:
There is uncertainty about the health of children born from in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) with cryopreserved embryos. We investigated the postnatal growth and health (up to 18 months) of these children compared with those born after standard IVF with fresh embryos and those from spontaneous pregnancies.
Methods:
255 children from cryopreserved embryos were matched by maternal age, parity, single or twin pregnancy, and date of delivery with 255 children born after IVF with fresh embryos, and 252 children from spontaneous pregnancies. The main endpoint was growth; secondary endpoints were the prevalence of chronic illness, major malformations, cumulative incidence of common diseases, and development during the first 18 months. Growth was assessed by comparison with standard Swedish growth charts and by standard deviation scores.
Findings:
Growth features were similar for both singletons and twins in the three groups. There were 6 (2.4%) of 255, 9 (3.5%) of 255, and 8 (3.2%) of 252 major malformations in the cryopreserved group, standard IVF, and spontaneous groups, respectively (p=0.6 between the cryopreserved and standard IVF group). The prevalence of chronic diseases did not differ between the three groups, with 18.0%, 15.3%, and 16.7% of children with a chronic illness in the cryopreserved group, standard IVF, and spontaneous groups, respectively.
Interpretation:
The cryopreservation process does not adversely affect the growth and health of children during infancy and early childhood. Minor handicaps, behavioural disturbances, learning difficulties, and dysfunction of attention and perception cannot be ruled out at this age.