IVF not Linked to Developmental Delay in Children: NIH

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Women who would want to undergo Assisted Reproductive Technologies to help with their infertility but are hesitant due to concerns about possible developmental delays in their future kids need not worry.

A new study by the National Institutes of Health, published in JAMA Pediatrics, has found that ART methods such as In-Vitro Fertilization are not linked to any developmental delays during the first three years of life, and are no more likely than normally-conceived children in terms of growth at the age period.

For the study, the researchers enrolled babies born in the New York State, with the exception of New York city, between 2008 and 2010. Babies recruited include singletons, twins and other multiples. These include babies born with the help of infertility treatments, as well as babies who were naturally conceived.

The ART methods used by the women to help with infertility range from simple to more complex methods, including:

- ovulation induction (using drugs to stimulate ovulation);
- intrauterine insemination (placing sperm into the uterus);
- gamete intrafallopian transfer (mixing sperm and egg before placing them in the fallopian tube);
- in vitro fertilization (fertilizing an egg with sperm in a laboratory dish);
- zygote intrafallopian transfer (placing a fertilized egg into the fallopian tube); and
- frozen embryo transfer (implanting a previously fertilized and then frozen egg into the womb).

According to a press release, developmental delays were screened by having the babies' parents complete “Age and Stages” questionnaires that asked questions covering five different areas in a child's development. Areas include:

- gross motor skills;
- fine motor skills;
- communication;
- personal and social functioning; and
- problem solving ability.

The questionnaires were given at various times during the child's first three years of life, at 4, 8, 12, 18, 24, 30, and 36 months of age. After the three-year period, the researchers collected and analyzed all the data.

The research team found that the 1,800 kids who were born with the help of infertility treatments had similar developmental assessment scores to the more than 4,000 naturally-conceived children.

Additionally, after accounting for multiple births, the researchers found that ART kids, either singletons or in multiples, had no significant difference in the five developmental areas compared to the naturally-conceived babies.

"We also observed no difference in parental reports of children using developmental services or referral for Early Intervention Program evaluation relative to infertility treatment," wrote the researchers, as per Medical Daily.

The researchers noted that more research needs to be done, because other forms of developmental disability can only be diagnosed after the child gets older than 3. As such, the researchers will continue to evaluate the kids until they reach 8 years old.