The likelihood of babies being born with significant heart defects is elevated by 36% for those conceived through assisted reproductive technologies, like in vitro fertilization (IVF), according to a comprehensive study recently published in the *European Heart Journal*.
Recent research reveals that babies conceived through assisted reproductive techniques, such as in vitro fertilization (IVF), face a 36% higher risk of being born with serious heart defects. This finding is detailed in a large-scale study released today in the European Heart Journal.
Researchers highlight this discovery’s significance, as congenital heart defects are the most prevalent type of birth defects, some of which may lead to life-threatening complications.
The study further indicates that the increased risk is notably linked to multiple births, which are more frequent with assisted reproductive methods.
Professor Ulla-Britt Wennerholm from the University of Gothenburg in Sweden spearheaded the research. She stated, “Past studies have identified higher risks for babies born through assisted reproductive technologies, such as preterm deliveries and lower birth weights. Our goal was to determine if the risk of heart defects was elevated for these babies.”
The research encompassed all live births in Denmark from 1994 to 2014, in Finland from 1990 to 2014, in Norway from 1984 to 2015, and in Sweden from 1987 to 2015, totaling over 7.7 million children.
The team compared statistics on babies conceived via assisted means, including IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and embryo freezing, with those conceived naturally.
They evaluated how many live births in each category were diagnosed with significant heart defects either before birth or during the first year. The study accounted for other risk factors for congenital heart defects, including the year and country of birth, maternal age at delivery, maternal smoking during pregnancy, and any maternal history of diabetes or heart conditions.
The results showed that heart defects were approximately 36% more prevalent in babies conceived through assisted reproduction compared to those conceived naturally (absolute risk: 1.84% vs. 1.15%). This increased risk was consistent across different assisted reproductive methods (IVF or ICSI, fresh or frozen embryos). However, the risk was higher for multiple births resulting from assisted reproduction compared to single births (2.47% vs. 1.62%).
Professor Wennerholm remarked, “While it is already known that babies from assisted reproductive technologies have a higher overall risk of birth defects, our findings reveal an increased risk specifically for congenital heart defects, which are the most common type of serious birth defect.”
“The uniformity of heart defect risks across various assisted reproductive methods may suggest an underlying commonality between parental infertility and their children’s heart conditions.”
“Congenital heart defects can be highly severe and often require specialized surgery at a young age, so identifying which infants are most at risk can help facilitate early diagnosis and appropriate care. As more individuals utilize assisted reproductive technology, we might anticipate a rise in congenital heart defect cases globally.”
In a related editorial, Dr. Nathalie Auger from the University of Montreal Hospital Research Centre and colleagues noted, “Assisted reproductive technology is widely used in reproductive health, representing 2% to 8% of births based on the country. Although most infants born with these technologies are healthy, there are associated risks.”
“As one of the largest studies conducted to date indicates, assisted reproductive technology correlates with an increased risk of major heart defects identified either prenatally or within the first year of life.”
“Patients undergoing assisted reproductive technology often differ from the general populace and may possess underlying conditions that impact both fertility and the likelihood of heart defects.”
