IVF Babies Two to Four Times More Likely to Have Birth Defects

A study by researchers with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that babies conceived through in vitro fertilisation and intracytoplasmic sperm injection have a higher rate of birth defects than babies conceived naturally.

In a study of 18,500 babies, the CDC found that babies conceived through assisted reproduction were about twice as likely to develop heart defects and cleft palates and about four times more likely to develop gastrointestinal problems (esophageal atresia and anorectal atresia). The study factored in other health risks, such as smoking, and applied only to single births (since multiple births are also associated with a higher risk of birth defects).

Although the risk of birth defects is very low with any method of conception, the CDC notes that “it is still important for parents who are considering using ART [assisted reproductive technology] to think about all of the potential risks and benefits of this technology.”