Preterm Birth and Risk of Heart Failure: Potential Contribution of Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Understanding the correlation between artificial insemination and offspring health outcomes

Although numerous articles have shown intracytoplasmic sperm injection and in vitro fertilization to be correlated with increased risk of disease, a few works have been published on the risks associated with artificial insemination. Meanwhile, questions about the possible causes underlying these correlations have remained in the background. The main objective of this work is not to review the risks associated with artificial insemination, but rather to describe how developmental processes may be affected by these techniques. Thus, we offer a theoretical framework for understanding the possible causes that underlie the correlation between low-complexity or milder techniques and offspring health outcomes.