Genesis Fertility Clinic Blog
searching: “risk”
May 4, 2010
IVF Pregnancies: As healthy as the rest?
It remains unclear if pregnancies that follow IVF have the same risks for preterm birth, stillbirth, growth restriction, and other pregnancy complications as those conceived without fertility treatment (spontaneously conceived pregnancies). I think it’s reassuring that the answer is unclear. If pregnancies following IVF were significantly more complex or risky, we’d know by now as there have been over 3 million such pregnancies in the world to date.
A Japanese study published in 2010 examining over 53,000 singleton IVF pregnancies found no significant increase in perinatal risk (including stillbirth) to the pregnancy or fetus. In contrast a study published this year of over 20,000 women with singleton pregnancies in Denmark found that risk of stillbirth in women who conceived on their own (spontaneously) was 0.4% compared to 1.6% for those who conceived with IVF. When big studies like this contradict each other, it’s hard to know just what to say to infertile couples.
Twin pregnancies are riskier than singletons whether they are IVF or spontaneously conceived. A recent review suggests that IVF twin pregnancies have a higher risk of premature birth and low birth weight than spontaneously conceived twins.
My belief is that IVF pregnancies may have more risk than spontaneously conceived pregnancies, particularly twin pregnancies, but the increased risk is small. Whether an increased risk is a product of fertility treatment or possible reproductive problems in the couple (i.e. is it the treatment or the couple?) is unknown.
In my opinion and experience, few couples decide not to pursue treatment because of small, unclear pregnancy risks.
Hopefully, in time the picture will be clearer and even more reassuring.
Dr. Beth Taylor, MD, FRCSC
Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility