Risks associated with IVF and ICSI
The first in vitro fertilisation (IVF) baby was born in 1978 and the first following PGD in 1990. There is evidence that babies born following IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are more likely to be:
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born early (prematurely); and
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weigh less than naturally conceived babies born at the same age.
In 2002, a large study from Australia suggested that IVF treatment might almost double the risk of abnormalities. However, it is important to remember that the risk of an abnormality in a natural conception is about 3%.
The Brussels Centre, which developed ICSI, has compared the complication rates in children born after ICSI with rates in children born after IVF and found no difference.
More research is needed and is ongoing. Please feel free to talk to us about any concerns you might have about ICSI treatment.
Risks to PGD babies
At present, no strong evidence exists to suggest that PGD babies are at any greater risk of abnormality than babies conceived through other forms of assisted reproduction. However long-term follow-up data is limited and all couples undertaking PGD must be aware that it is still a relatively new technology with unknown long-term outcomes.
Currently most of the data collected about babies born following PGD only relates to the outcome at birth. We are collaborating with other PGD centres across the world to gather more information on older children. Therefore all couples who have children following PGD at our centre are asked:
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about the wellbeing of their children at birth; and
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to bring their children for a paediatric check-up at one, two and five years of age.
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