Third grade academic achievement among children conceived with the use of in vitro fertilization: a population-based study in Texas

Intelligence, motoric and psychological outcomes in children from different ART treatments: a systematic review and meta-analysis

BACKGROUND

Subtle abnormalities in children's intelligence, motor skills, and psychology from various assisted reproductive treatments (ARTs) might be underdiagnosed. Understanding the prognosis of intelligence, motor skills, and psychology in children from ART would provide parents with reasonable expectations and enable them to plan relevant support to achieve the optimum potential in ART children.

METHODS

We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Ovid, Google Scholar, and Scopus databases until April 13, 2021, to identify relevant studies. Thirty-four studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria. The meta-analysis employed a standardized mean difference model. The outcome of this study is to compare intelligence quotient (IQ), motoric ability, and behavioral problems between all ARTs, in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) to naturally conceived (NC) children. Subdomains of intelligence based on the Cattell, Horn, and Carroll Model (CHC Model) of cognitive architecture, including fluid reasoning, short-term and working memory, processing speed, visual-spatial ability, long-term memory retrieval, and crystalized intelligence (knowledge), were evaluated and summarized in details. Motor skill was stratified into two domains: gross motoric and fine motoric. Behavioral problem was categorized as externalizing and internalizing behavior.

RESULTS

Meta-analysis showed that verbal intelligence score in IVF toddlers is significantly lower than NC toddlers (p = 0.02); conversely, ICSI toddlers scored significantly higher verbal intelligence score compared to NC toddlers (p = 0.005). Toddlers born after ART had significantly lower non-verbal intelligence score (p = 0.047). IVF toddlers scored significantly lower fine motor score (p = 0.01) compared to naturally conceived toddlers. Based on parent's CBCL, NC toddlers had higher total (p = 0.01) and externalizing behavior (p = 0.001) scores  compared to ART toddlers. Evaluation of full scale IQ and all domains of intelligence in preschool and primary school children revealed that no significant differences exist between ART and NC children. Based on preschool and primary school parents' CBCL, IVF children had significantly lower externalizing behavior score compared to NC children (p = 0.04). Meta-analyses of studies on young adolescents revealed that ART young adolescents scored higher academically than their NC counterparts, including on mathematics (p < 0.00001) and reading or language (p < 0.00001).

CONCLUSIONS

Despite differences in certain aspects, this finding suggests that ART is unlikely to cause negative impacts on children's neurodevelopment.

The Consequences of Assisted Reproduction Technologies on the Offspring Health Throughout Life: A Placental Contribution

The use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) worldwide has led to the conception and birth of over eight million babies since being implemented in 1978. ART use is currently on the rise, given growing infertility and the increase in conception age among men and women in industrialized countries. Though obstetric and perinatal outcomes have improved over the years, pregnancies achieved by ART still bear increased risks for the mother and the unborn child. Moreover, given that the first generation of ART offspring is now only reaching their forties, the long-term effects of ART are currently unknown. This is important, as there is a wealth of data showing that life-long health can be predetermined by poor conditions during intrauterine development, including irregularities in the structure and functioning of the placenta. In the current review, we aim to summarize the latest available findings examining the effects of ART on the cardiometabolic, cognitive/neurodevelopmental, and behavioral outcomes in the perinatal period, childhood and adolescence/adulthood; and to examine placental intrinsic factors that may contribute to the developmental outcomes of ART offspring. Altogether, the latest knowledge about life outcomes beyond adolescence for those conceived by ART appears to suggest a better long-term outcome than previously predicted. There are also changes in placenta structure and functional capacity with ART. However, more work in this area is critically required, since the potential consequences of ART may still emerge as the offspring gets older. In addition, knowledge of the placenta may help to foresee and mitigate any adverse outcomes in the offspring.

Sixth grade academic achievement among children conceived with IVF: a population-based study in Texas, USA

PURPOSE

To compare academic achievement in reading and mathematics at the end of sixth grade and progress from third to sixth grade by children conceived with in vitro fertilization (IVF) to those conceived naturally.

METHODS

This was a retrospective population-based cohort study of IVF-conceived singleton and twin children who took the 3rd grade and 6th grade public school standardized reading and mathematics testing in Texas.

RESULTS

There were 6623 children with reading scores in both the third and sixth grades and 6374 children with mathematics scores in both the third and sixth grades. Mean (± SE) scaled test scores for IVF and control singleton children for reading were 1544.6 ± 3.4 and 1527.7 ± 1.9, respectively, in third grade and 1701.2 ± 3.6 and 1681.0 ± 2.0, respectively, in sixth grade; for mathematics, the scores were 1564.4 ± 3.7 and 1548.9 ± 2.1, respectively, in third grade and 1774.0 ± 4.2 and 1752.0 ± 2.3, respectively, in sixth grade. In multivariate models, singleton IVF children scored significantly higher than control children in reading and mathematics, averaging 17.7 ± 4.0 points and 20.1 ± 4.1 points higher, respectively, in reading in third and sixth grades and 17.8 ± 4.4 points and 25.0 ± 4.8 points higher, respectively, in mathematics in third and sixth grades.

CONCLUSIONS

Children conceived with IVF and aged 8-9 years and aged 10-12 years performed as well on third and sixth grade reading and mathematics assessments as their counterparts conceived naturally.