The effects of fertility treatment were not found to have any significant differences in blood pressure, heartbeat, lipids, and glucose between children born naturally and those who are assisted by reproduction technology (ART).
The University of Bristol led the study and it was published in the European Heart Journal today (6 February 2023. The data set was comprised of 8,600 children from Bristol’s Children of the 90s Study, which has been monitoring pregnant women and their kids since 1991.
Since the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) birth, concerns have been raised about the health risks to children conceived in this manner; however, previous studies have been limited by a small sample size.
The study included data from 35,000 European, Singaporean, and Australian offspring and was headed by an international research group from the Assisted Reproductive Technology and Health (A.R.T-Health) Partnership.
The study was large enough to determine if ART conception had an effect on blood pressure, pulse rate, lipids or glucose levels from childhood to early adulthood (up until the early 20s).
The researchers discovered that blood pressure, heart rate, and glucose levels among children created with ART and their normally conceived contemporaries were similar.
Researchers also found that children conceived with ART had slightly higher cholesterol levels during childhood. However, this did not last into adulthood. There was some indication of an increase in blood pressure as they age.
This research is the largest of its kind and would not have been possible without previous data, such as Children of the 1990s. Parents who are using assisted reproductive technology to have children or conceive should feel at ease knowing that the cardiometabolic health of ART-conceived children is comparable to those born normally. To evaluate the potential evolution of outcomes throughout adulthood, it would be beneficial to have longer follow-up studies.