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Review
. 2024 Jan 6;13(2):328.
doi: 10.3390/jcm13020328.

Investigating the Association of Assisted Reproduction Techniques and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes

Anastasios Potiris  1 , Paraskevas Perros  2 , Eirini Drakaki  2 , Despoina Mavrogianni  2 , Nikolaos Machairiotis  1 , Antonios Sfakianakis  3 , Theodoros Karampitsakos  1 , Dionysios Vrachnis  4 , Nikolaos Antonakopoulos  5 , Periklis Panagopoulos  1 , Peter Drakakis  1   2 , Sofoklis Stavros  1
Affiliations
Review

Investigating the Association of Assisted Reproduction Techniques and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes

Anastasios Potiris et al. J Clin Med. .

Abstract

Background: Infertility affects about 80 million individuals worldwide and 10-15% of couples at reproductive age will seek medical assistance. There is increasing evidence that pregnancies after Assisted Reproduction Techniques (ART) are associated with pre-term birth, low birthweight, congenital defects, and increased mortality rates. The aim of this review is to assess all the published literature and provide an updated review on the effect of assisted conception and perinatal and neonatal outcomes.

Methods: Comprehensive research on Pubmed/Medline, Scopus, and Google scholar electronic databases was conducted from July 2023 up to September 2023, using the terms assisted reproductive techniques, ART, in vitro fertilization, IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, ICSI, preterm birth, PTB, low birth weight, LBW, chromosomal defects, congenital defects, and hypospadias. In total, 87 full text articles were retrieved and after a careful evaluation, 31 studies were selected for data extraction.

Results: Our review demonstrated a higher risk of congenital and chromosomal defects, and a higher incidence of male genital tract defects and heart defects in ART pregnancies. Regarding pre-term birth, our results were contradictory.

Conclusions: Although assisted reproduction techniques are associated with increased risks, they are safe regarding perinatal outcomes and couples should not be discouraged from utilizing them. Our results aim to alert clinicians to these specific outcomes and offer more personalized care and counseling to infertile couples and their children.

Keywords: assisted reproduction techniques; congenital anomalies; genital defects; heart defects; perinatal outcome; pre-term birth.

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Conflict of interest statement

Author Antonios Sfakianakis was employed by the company “London Women’s Clinic” based in the United Kingdom. The remaining authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Flowchart of the selection process.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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