Good News for IVF Children
GOOD week for children conceived by in vitro fertilization.
Research suggests they do better academically than other kids. The US study compared 423 children aged eight to 17 who had been conceived by IVF with a group of similar children not conceived in this way, who acted as controls. The IVF children scored higher than the national average on tests of educational development, and also higher than the control group. However, twins and triplets had lower test scores, although not significantly worse than other children, the authors said in the journal Human Reproduction.
Mains L et al Hum Reprod 2010;25:2605-2611
Achievement test performance in children conceived by IVF Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term follow-up studies of children conceived by IVF are limited. We examine academic performance on standardized tests [Iowa Tests of Basic Skills/Educational Development (ITBS/ITED)] of children conceived by IVF.
METHODS Parents of children 8–17 years of age at the onset of the study (March 2008) who were conceived by IVF at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and living in the state of Iowa were contacted by mail. Parents completed questionnaires on their child's health and education and parental education. ITBS/ITED scores from school grades 3–12 were obtained on IVF children and a group of anonymous children matched by grade, year, gender and school district. Scores were analyzed using linear mixed models.
RESULTS Four hundred and ninety-seven couples were contacted. Two hundred and ninety-five couples (463 children) agreed to participate (59.4% of parents), with ITBS/ITED scores available on 423 children (91.4% of participants). IVF children scored higher than the national mean (P < 0.0001) across all grades and subtests and higher than their matched peers for grades 3–11. A trend toward lower test scores in multiple gestations was present (but not significant). Factors found to affect test scores included parental level of education, maternal age, divorce and child's BMI. Cryopreservation, length of embryo culture and method of insemination did not affect scores.
CONCLUSIONS IVF children scored higher on standardized tests than their matched peers, suggesting that IVF does not have a negative effect on cognitive development. However, long-term follow-up of IVF children is still limited. Further research should be performed on the effect of multiple gestation on academic performance
Research suggests they do better academically than other kids. The US study compared 423 children aged eight to 17 who had been conceived by IVF with a group of similar children not conceived in this way, who acted as controls. The IVF children scored higher than the national average on tests of educational development, and also higher than the control group. However, twins and triplets had lower test scores, although not significantly worse than other children, the authors said in the journal Human Reproduction.
Mains L et al Hum Reprod 2010;25:2605-2611
Achievement test performance in children conceived by IVF Abstract
BACKGROUND Long-term follow-up studies of children conceived by IVF are limited. We examine academic performance on standardized tests [Iowa Tests of Basic Skills/Educational Development (ITBS/ITED)] of children conceived by IVF.
METHODS Parents of children 8–17 years of age at the onset of the study (March 2008) who were conceived by IVF at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and living in the state of Iowa were contacted by mail. Parents completed questionnaires on their child's health and education and parental education. ITBS/ITED scores from school grades 3–12 were obtained on IVF children and a group of anonymous children matched by grade, year, gender and school district. Scores were analyzed using linear mixed models.
RESULTS Four hundred and ninety-seven couples were contacted. Two hundred and ninety-five couples (463 children) agreed to participate (59.4% of parents), with ITBS/ITED scores available on 423 children (91.4% of participants). IVF children scored higher than the national mean (P < 0.0001) across all grades and subtests and higher than their matched peers for grades 3–11. A trend toward lower test scores in multiple gestations was present (but not significant). Factors found to affect test scores included parental level of education, maternal age, divorce and child's BMI. Cryopreservation, length of embryo culture and method of insemination did not affect scores.
CONCLUSIONS IVF children scored higher on standardized tests than their matched peers, suggesting that IVF does not have a negative effect on cognitive development. However, long-term follow-up of IVF children is still limited. Further research should be performed on the effect of multiple gestation on academic performance
