Laterality in five-year-olds conceived by intracytoplasmic sperm injection, standardin vitrofertilisation and natural conception: a European study

ALWAYS ICSI? A SWOT analysis

PURPOSE

Intracytroplasmatic sperm injection (ICSI) is a common procedure used to improve reproductive results, even among couples without male factor infertility. However, the evidence available is still uncertain on the possible advantages and deficiencies that this procedure may have in patients with no formal indication for ICSI.

METHODS

A SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, threats) analysis examines the possible advantages and deficiencies of performing ICSI in these patients with no formal indication.

RESULTS

The evidence suggests that ICSI is not justified for non-male factor infertile couples requiring in vitro conception. One of the major strengths associated to the procedure is the virtual elimination of cases further complicated by total fertilization failure and a combination between IVF and ICSI on sibling oocytes has been advised in the literature. Greater technical difficulties, higher costs and performing an unnecessary invasive technique in some cases represent some of the weaknesses of the procedure, and questions regarding safety issues should not be ruled out.

CONCLUSION

Despite the widespread use of ICSI in patients without a formal diagnosis of male factor infertility, evidence demonstrating its effectiveness in this population is still lacking. Additional large and well-designed randomized controlled trials are needed to clarify definitive indications for ICSI in non-male factor infertility.

Assisted reproduction and child neurodevelopmental outcomes: a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

To systematically review the existing literature on neurodevelopmental outcomes in children born after medically assisted reproduction compared with those of children born after spontaneous conception.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

SETTING

Not applicable.

PATIENT(S)

Children born after medically assisted reproduction vs. reference groups of spontaneously conceived children.

INTERVENTION(S)

Data were reviewed from worldwide published articles, without restrictions as to publication year or language. A total of 80 studies included between 31 and 2,446,044 children.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S)

Child neurodevelopmental outcomes categorized as cognitive, behavioral, emotional or psychomotor development, or diagnoses of mental disorders.

RESULT(S)

For infants, studies on psychomotor development showed no deficits, but few investigated cognitive or behavioral development. Studies on toddlers generally reported normal cognitive, behavioral, socio-emotional, and psychomotor development. For children in middle childhood, development seems comparable in children born after assisted reproduction and controls, although fewer studies have been conducted with follow-up to this age. Very few studies have assessed neurodevelopmental outcomes among teens, and the results are inconclusive. Studies investigating the risk of diagnoses of mental disorders are generally large, with long follow-up, but the results are inconsistent.

CONCLUSION(S)

It may tentatively be concluded that the neurodevelopment of children born after fertility treatment is overall comparable to that in children born after spontaneous conception.

Infertility, infertility treatment, and mixed-handedness in children

BACKGROUND

Mixed-handedness, which may reflect atypical brain laterality, has been linked to a number of medical conditions as well as prenatal stress.

AIMS

The aim of the study was to examine whether infertility or infertility treatment was associated with an increased risk of mixed-handedness in children. STUDY DESIGN, SUBJECTS AND OUTCOME MEASURES: We used data from three population-based birth cohorts in Denmark: the Aalborg-Odense Birth Cohort (1984-1987), the Aarhus Birth Cohort (1990-1992) and the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2002) (N=7728, 5720 and 29486, respectively). Data on time to pregnancy and infertility treatment were collected during pregnancy. Handedness was reported in a follow-up questionnaire when the children were at least 7years old. Children were categorized as mixed-handed if their mothers reported that they used both hands equally.

RESULTS

Children born after infertility treatment, particularly intrauterine insemination, had a higher risk of being mixed-handed compared to children of fertile couples with a time to pregnancy </=12months (odds ratio 1.41, 95% confidence interval 1.09-1.82). Children of couples with unplanned pregnancies, particularly after an oral contraceptives failure, were also more likely to be mixed-handed. There was no association between a long waiting time to pregnancy and mixed-handedness in children.

CONCLUSIONS

Children born after infertility treatment, particularly intrauterine insemination, and children exposed to oral contraceptives during early gestation may have a higher risk of being mixed-handed.