Health and Development of Children Born Following Assisted Reproductive Technology Treatments

Since the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) birth, the number of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments has been steadily increasing worldwide. Currently, 4.2% of all live births in Israel are conceived with ART. Despite the wide use of ART treatments, there is still concern regarding the safety and their effect on infant’s physical health and emotional well-being. Literature on long-term outcomes of children born following ART treatments will be reviewed with emphasis on studies conducted in Israel, regarding three main topics: congenital malformations, childhood cancer, and long-term growth, health and neurodevelopmental outcomes. A recent meta-analysis has suggested that there is an increased risk of congenital malformations in children born following ART. An increased risk for cancer among children born following ART has also been suggested, however most studies published thus far have included small sample sizes and short follow-up periods. Two meta-analyses have been conducted summarizing the results of these studies. However, there is still lack of clarity on this issue. Studies exploring the link between ART and neurodevelopmental outcome (neuro-motor, cognitive, speech/language and behavioral), autism or ASD, have also reported inconsistent results. Systematic reviews regarding those outcomes noted lack of long-term follow-up studies of good methodological quality and external validity.