IVF pregnancy risks: Expert explains what raises chances of premature birth and low birth weight
New Delhi: Many parents who conceive through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) wonder if their baby will be as healthy as one conceived naturally. Most IVF children are born healthy, but doctors say some risks are slightly higher and pregnancies need closer monitoring.
In an exclusive communication to New9 Digital, Dr Himani Sharma, Senior Consultant and Clinical Head, Obstetrics & Gynaecology, Cocoon Hospital Jaipur, explains the health of IVF babies, the risk of premature birth and low birth weight, the role of treatment and underlying infertility, congenital conditions, and what parents should know as their child grows up. Here is all you need to learn about IVF and child health, risks, outcomes and what parents should know.
Health of IVF babies compared with natural conception
Explaining the overall health of IVF babies, Dr Himani Sharma said, “The vast majority of children born through IVF are healthy and normal. Nonetheless, it would be misleading to state that there are no differences at all.”
“It was found that there are slightly elevated risks for particular complications in pregnancy and childbirth, which can depend on age, infertility reasons, the mother’s health condition, and multiple pregnancies. This does not mean that an individual case will be associated with health concerns,” she explained.
“The main goal from the point of view of obstetrics is personal counselling, proper prenatal testing, and regular monitoring during pregnancy,” the senior consultant added.
IVF and risk of premature birth, low birth weight
Talking about the birth complications in IVF pregnancies, Dr Himani said, “Certainly, IVF pregnancies tend to be associated with a higher incidence of preterm labour and babies born with low birth weights, especially when twins or triplets are involved. However, there is still a certain risk even when only one baby is conceived through the IVF procedure.”
“The woman’s age, the presence of her disease, and infertility may be the cause of the problem, but there is also a higher risk of placental problems and gestational hypertension,” she cautioned.
“It is important to note that a higher risk doesn’t imply that a complication will occur,” she clarified. “Where possible, transferring a single embryo minimises the risks,” she advised.
Impact of fertility treatment and infertility on baby’s health
Discussing what affects the baby’s health, she said, “The health of the baby depends on a combination of different variables; hence, it is not automatic that it can always be related to any problems that come from the process of IVF. Factors such as underlying problems causing infertility, the age of parents, genetics, and other diseases that the mother might be suffering from may affect the health of the pregnant woman and the baby.”
“The choice of treatment also has an impact because transferring two or more embryos can result in multiple pregnancies that have their own risk factors,” the doctor noted. “There are some genetic problems related to severe male infertility when ICSI is used,” she added.
Congenital conditions and long-term health in IVF children
Explaining congenital conditions and long-term outcomes, Dr Sharma said, “There is an increased risk of certain congenital disorders associated with assisted conception, but the overall risk is very low. Some of this relationship may be due to parental characteristics and the infertile state of parents.”
“The literature is fairly positive concerning childhood development, with studies showing no differences in cognitive development or other aspects of development. However, there is no consensus on all findings, and follow-up beyond childhood is lacking. The effect on future cardiovascular or metabolic health needs further investigation,” the Senior Consultant noted.
“In pregnancy, we can provide proper genetic screening and foetal evaluation. Parents need to understand that an association does not imply causality with the procedure,” she advised.
Health and development of IVF children as they grow
Advising what parents should know as the child grows, she said, “The upbringing of an IVF-conceived child should be no different from any other child in terms of adequate nutrition, immunisation, sleep, exercise, and emotional wellbeing. Regular paediatric follow-ups should ensure that growth parameters, hearing, visual development and milestones are being met.”
“Further evaluations will depend on the specific needs of the child, especially if the child was born preterm or with low birth weight, or had problems during the neonatal period. Conception through IVF does not automatically mean that further investigations are required,” she mentioned.
“Starting from pregnancy, our duty is to offer balanced counselling and follow-up if required. Developmental problems should be communicated without undue concern about the way the baby was conceived,” the doctor added.