Childhood growth of singletons conceived following in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

B Bay; J Lyngsø; L Hohwü; U S Kesmodel

doi:10.1111/1471-0528.15456

Childhood growth of singletons conceived following in vitro fertilisation or intracytoplasmic sperm injection: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BJOG. 2019 Jan;126(2):158-166. doi: 10.1111/1471-0528.15456. Epub 2018 Oct 9.

Authors

B Bay^{1

2}, J Lyngsø³, L Hohwü⁴, U S Kesmodel^{5

6}

Affiliations

¹ The Fertility Clinic, Regional Hospital Horsens, Horsens, Denmark.
² Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institute of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University Hospital, Aarhus, Denmark.
³ Department of Public Health, Section for Epidemiology, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.
⁴ Department of Health Science and Technology, Public Health and Epidemiology Group, Aalborg University, Aalborg, Denmark.
⁵ Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Herlev and Gentofte Hospital, Herlev, Denmark.
⁶ Institute of Clinical Medicine, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.

PMID: 30168249
DOI: 10.1111/1471-0528.15456

Abstract

Background: Assisted reproductive techniques are associated with an increased risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes, including low birthweight and intrauterine growth restriction. Yet, the long-term follow-up on the growth of these children is limited.

Objective: To systematically review the literature on post-neonatal height and weight among children conceived following in vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment, compared with that of children born after spontaneous conception.

Search strategy: A systematic computerised literature search using the online databases PubMed, Embase, and Scopus.

Selection criteria: Cohort or case-control studies with an exposed group of singletons conceived following IVF or ICSI along with a control group of spontaneously conceived singletons.

Data collection and analysis: Studies were reviewed by at least two authors. Meta-analyses were conducted using Cochrane Review Manager. The quality of the studies was assessed with the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale.

Main results: Twenty studies were included, with 13 of these eligible for meta-analyses. The meta-analyses compared 3972 children born after IVF/ICSI with 11 012 spontaneously conceived children and revealed no statistically significant difference in child weight [mean difference (MD) in weight of -160 g; 95% confidence interval (95% CI) -360, 3]. When stratifying by age of child at follow-up, we found a significant lower weight in children aged 0-4 years conceived following IVF/ICSI treatment (MD -180 g; 95% CI -320, -4), but this was no longer significant in children from 5 years of age (MD -160 g; 95% CI -580, 260). The pooled analysis revealed no statistically significant difference in childhood height.

Conclusions: In vitro fertilisation/ICSI was not associated with long-term weight and height.

Tweetable abstract: Children born following IVF/ICSI do not have impaired long-term weight or height compared with spontaneously conceived children.

Keywords: Assisted reproduction; child development; height; infertility; weight.

Publication types

Meta-Analysis
Systematic Review

MeSH terms

Body Height*
Body Weight*
Case-Control Studies
Child
Child Development
Child, Preschool
Cohort Studies
Female
Fertilization in Vitro / adverse effects
Humans
Infant
Infant, Newborn
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Outcome
Risk Factors
Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / adverse effects*