Follow-up studies of children born after frozen sperm donation

Abstract

The need to assess the health of children born after assisted reproductive technologies (ART) using frozen donor spermatozoa has been a major concern for the last decade. Most available published studies are confusing (since they are retrospective) and refer to small numbers of cases or involve a bias. Two prospective and large population-based studies have been published, one in France and the other in Australia. The general characteristics of children born after ART using frozen spermatozoa was unchanged in comparison with the general population (weight, prematurity, stillbirths, sex ratio). However, the rate of multiple pregnancy was increased, first in artificial insemination with donor semen (AID), where the use of hormonal treatment may be too heavily prescribed, and second in IVF with donor semen (IVF/D) where both the ovulation induction treatments and embryo transfer policy increase the rate of multiple pregnancies. As far as birth defects or chromosomal abnormalities are concerned, no difference has been observed from the general population. Finally, the use of frozen spermatozoa does not seem to affect the health of children conceived by AID or IVF/D. The psychosocial development of such infants is not as well known because of the confidentiality in many countries concerning sperm donation. However, the available information on the psychosocial development of these children up to the age of 8-10 years appears to be reassuring. Larger and longer studies are needed to answer such questions, particularly with regard to adulthood.