In-vitro fertilization tied to birth defects risk

In-vitro fertilization may boost birth defect risk in newborns, according to new research.

While the risk is considered statistically significant, the researchers who presented the study at medical conference over the weekend note the overall risk of birth defects remains low. However, the association between In-vitro fertilization (IVF) and birth defects may warrant a conversation with a doctor for parents considering fertility treatments.

• Fertility doctors back freezing eggs, insurers next?
• Using yoga for fertility
• In-vitro fertilization allows grandmother to give birth to grandchild

"For parents considering in vitro fertilization or other forms of assisted reproductive technology, it is important that they understand and discuss with their doctor the potential risks of the procedure before making a decision," study author Dr. Lorraine Kelley-Quon, a general surgery resident at Ronald Reagan UCLA Medical Center, said in a press release.

IVF is the joining of a woman's egg and a man's sperm outside of the body. It is a type of assisted reproductive technology (ART) used to treat many causes of infertility including advancing maternal age in women, damaged or blocked fallopian tubes, endometriosis or male fertility problems such as decreased sperm counts.

Fertility fact or fiction: 8 misconceptions

The procedure typically starts with fertility drugs to stimulate egg production (women produce one egg each month), the eggs are then removed from the woman's body where they are inseminated with sperm. Once the egg becomes fertilized, it's called an embryo, and doctors will place it in the woman's uterus about three to five days after fertilization.

Other types of ART include artificial insemination and ovulation induction.

The new study, presented Oct. 20, at an American Academy of Pediatrics conference in New Orleans, looked at nearly 50,000 infants born in California, comparing those born with IVF and those conceived naturally. California has the highest rate of IVF use in the United States, according to the researchers.

They identified 3,463 infants with major birth defects among 4,795 infants born after IVF and 46,025 naturally conceived infants with similar maternal demographics. That amounts to nine percent of infants born to IVF having a birth defect, compared with 6.6. percent of those conceived naturally -- about 1.25 times a greater risk.

Birth defects of the eye, heart and urogenital system (consisting of reproductive organs and urinary tract) were also found to be more common in children born with IVF.

"Our results imply that there may be factors inherent in assisted reproductive technology that increase the likelihood of birth defects," Kelley-Quon told Medpage Today.

Risk of birth defects after non-IVF fertility treatments were not found to be significant, meaning they may be caused by chance. The findings are considered preliminary since they were presented at a conference and not published in peer-reviewed journal.

Common myths about having a child later in life

Dr. Edward Illions, an associate professor of clinical obstetrics, gynecology and women's health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York City, told HealthDay the findings are not surprising based on existing research dating back to the 1980s.

"The bottom line is we're still not sure what component of the process is giving the risk," Illions said. "Is it something we're doing in the lab -- the culture media, which contains a lot of synthetic growth factors and protein supplements? The fertility medications? Is it the nature of the illness itself -- people with ovulatory dysfunction? Those are all potential confounding factors," he explained.

[GianlucaC]

@ KatarinaNovakovic,According to a study titled Reproductive Technologies and the Risk of Birth Defects (nejm.org), defect rates among babies whose mothers had been implanted with fresh embryos after IVF were not significantly higher than babies conceived naturally after a "multi-variate adjustment" (Reproductive Technologies and the Risk of Birth Defects). Also, defect rates among babies whose mothers had been implanted with previously frozen embryos were lower after several variables were taken into account. Other studies that may have suggested that IVF caused a noticeable increase in defect rates did not take into account the patients' factors (maternal age, smoking, etc.)

[AlrynJosie]

Both my sisters inlaw waited until they were 30 before they tried having kids and they both had blocked tubes. Its unfortunate but these days many women put off having kids until they can afford it only to find out they waited too long. I think OBGYNs need to alert women to this possibilty more often when women are still young. On the other hand is my sister who had cervical cancer (from HPV) which made a natural pregancy impossible. I don't think these types of situations justifies saying these people shouldn't have children because they are not "genetically perfect". Unfortunately, though, my sisters three IVF kids all have urinary tube defects which I believe may be related to IVF. Hopefully they can improve the process.

[dunnellon]

I have 2 beautiful childen 5yr and 1yr through IVF and they are bright and right on track. They are the life in my body and would not change a thing. I may be 'SELFISH' for wanting a child but it has NOTHING to do with wanting a 'DNA REPLICA' 'KatarinaNovakovic'. You must have never heard those words 'I Love You Mommy(Daddy)'followed by a big hug for if you did you would want everyone in the world to know that feeling, I do feel sorry for you that you protest love and hapiness............

[KatarinaNovakovic]

Well, duh! There must be reasons why some people can't reproduce. Mother Nature is trying to tell them something!
If ANY other drugs had the kind of side-effects that fertility drugs have, the public would be hollering for them to be banned.

BUT since it sometimes results in an ZOMGBABBY, nobody is willing to say anything about them (ovarian cancer, breast cancer, cervical cancer, ovarian hyperstimulation syndrom, difficulty breathing, swelling of mouth and tongue, tightness in the chest, infections, blood blisters, dizziness, bone loss, excessive bleeding, hair loss, low blood pressure, nausea, headaches, ...)

The success rate of IVF is very low and the resulting infant is far more likely to have birth defects than normally conceived children.
If anything, this study is conservative in its risk assessment.
My friends and acquaintances in the medical profession have been saying for years, that when they get a sickly or defective child, it's bound to be the result of fertility treatments.

[The_Skunk]

Our IVF child is healthy as an ox, sharp as a tack, happy as a clam. He has no defects of any sort, is clearly advanced, and is in the 97th percentile for size. As Singerweier mentions, the study is flawed, as many candidates for the procedure have increased risk factors, primarily age and health issue. They need to further refine the study to be relevant.

To those stating or implying that assisted pregnancy is wrong, well... ****. You make me sick.

[KatarinaNovakovic]

There is always that small group of people, who holler that since they've taken a car trip and didn't have an accident, there's no need for seat belts.

[KansasCity-2012]

InVitroFertilization circumvents many of nature's own safeguards against producing healthy offspring.

Science does make breakthroughs, but at a cost.

Science is being blamed for "junk babies" through diet, medical procedures, medications, vitamins, food engineering, artificial sunlight, super purified de-mineralized water, and the list goes on.

Prolonging life and even replacing natural reproduction processes is raising some big questions about whether a society can survive without severe afflictions caused by society's refusal to accept nature's "No" to questions about health and reproduction limitations hidden from us and later revealed in the form of behavioral and health consequences.

Living longer and reproducing at any cost is a vain life to sustain.

[KatarinaNovakovic]

There's a scarier thought: these people, who shouldn't exist, now walk among us. Genetically speaking, they're inferior. They procreate with the general population and spread their defective genes around.
Fertility treatments are circumventing natural selection; the very mechanism that created us.

[singerweier]

This study is flawed. How can you compare new borns with IVF and those conceived naturally and blame IVF for birth defects? Those parents who choose to do IVF might be older and in worse health situation to start with. The birth defects would be related to parents health situation. They only controlled for material demographic and those race and education level variables are so superficial.

[KatarinaNovakovic]

This is the point of the study! If you can't reproduce, then Mother Nature is trying to tell you something! Either your health or your genetics aren't consistent with the ability to produce healthy offspring.

[nmm0403]

Alexoller1, obviously for you it was not a difficult task to have children, but to the millions of couples who can not it is absolutely earth shattering. I work at an ob/gyn and can tell you, scientifically, that if the body is going to reject a pregnancy it is going to do it on its own, regarless of whether or not it is natural or artificial. Many women still suffer pregnancy loss with artificial pregnancy while on all of the hormones they are on. I'm also pretty sure there are plenty of parents out there with children that were a product of ART who have no birth defects and excel in all areas. You are right that a child is a blessing and if it is God's will a child will come into this world be it naturally or with some help and if there is a disability then that is how He chose that child to be. You're entitled to your opinion, but how dare you condemn someone for the choices they make about how to get the child that they have longed for into this world.

[KatarinaNovakovic]

Because people, who force having a kid at any cost, are selfish!

They don't think about the child; they don't think about the birth defects that it's significantly more likely to have; they don't think about the provable fact that it's likely to become an orphan because they're more likely to die as a consequence of swallowing, snorting and injecting themselves with every drug that they could get their hands on.

All they think about, is getting their hands on the coveted trendy accessory: a DNA replicant.

[alexoller1]

The body knows its ways. I am really sorry for the couples that cant conceive naturally. Having a child is a blessing. Try to adopt. Do not use hormones or any other method that tries to force your body to hold what it needs to reject. The body knows why!!!! I have been working for over 25 years with children and, know, not scientifically, but by feeling and experience that if you force a pregnancy, the outcome will, normally come with a sort of birth defect. language, motor, sensorial....
Dont manipulate life!!

[Shootersrevenge]

A totally uneducated reply..."The body knows it's ways"? Are we to believe that at it' simplest form, you do not believe in medicine or medical advances in any fashion? If you or someone you love comes down with an affliction do you leave it up to your magic 8-ball and faith to cure? Or do you seek medical intervention? Using your theory, your body should just rot until death does you in - Now that is rich.

[3103BA]

My late wife gave birth to an invitro daughter at 40 years 8 months 4 days. Our daughter is bipolar. We had to have her get hormone shots for some weeks after the transfer. I talked to the husband of a woman in our congegation who had twins some months after our daughter was born. He said she did not get hormone shots.

Also, most of my wife's relatives were killed in the Holocaust 100% on her father's side and about 75% on her mother's. We do not know if being bipolar has a tendency to be inherited or ??

My daughter is now 24 1/2.

Kenneth Sachs

[singerweier]

This study is flawed. How can you compare new borns with IVF and those conceived naturally and blame IVF for birth defects? Those parents who choose to do IVF might be older and in worse health situation to start with. The birth defects would be related to parents health situation. They only controlled for material demographic and those race and education level variables are so superficial.