Since the birth of the first IVF-conceived child in 1978, the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has grown dramatically, contributing to the successful birth of 5 million individuals worldwide. However, there are several reported associations of ART with pregnancy complications, such as low birthweight (LBW), preterm birth, birth defects, epigenetic disorders, cancer and poor metabolic health. Whether this is attributed to ART procedures or to the subset of the population seeking ART remains a controversy, but the most relevant question today concerns the potential long-term implications of assisted conception. Recent evidence has emerged suggesting that ART-conceived children have distinct metabolic profiles that may predispose to cardiovascular pathologies in adulthood. Because the eldest IVF individuals are still too young to exhibit components of chronic middle-aged syndromes, the use of animal models has become particularly useful in describing the effects of unusual or stressful preimplantation experiences on adult fitness. Elucidating the molecular mechanisms by which embryos integrate environmental signals into development and metabolic gene expression programs will be essential for optimizing ART procedures such as in vitro culture conditions, embryo selection and transfer. In the future, additional animal studies to identify mechanisms underlying unfavorable ART outcomes, as well as more epidemiological reviews to monitor the long-term health of ART children are required, given that ART procedures have become routine medical practice.

Concerns persist about a possible link between infertility and risk of autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Interpretation of existing studies is limited by racial/ethnic homogeneity of study populations and other factors. Using a case-control design, we evaluated infertility history and treatment documented in medical records of members of Kaiser Permanente Northern California. Among singletons (349 cases, 1,847 controls), we found no evidence to support an increase in risk of ASD associated with infertility. Among multiple births (21 cases, 54 controls), we found an increased risk associated with infertility history and with infertility evaluations and treatment around the time of index pregnancy conception; however, small sample size and lack of detailed data on treatments preclude firm interpretation of results for multiple births.

Objective To determine predictors of low birth weight (LBW) and preterm delivery (PTD) in singleton pregnancies conceived by women with and without a history of infertility. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Eleven infertility clinics in Northern California. Patients Three groups of women who carried singleton pregnancies to ≥ 20 weeks gestation: 542 infertile women who conceived after treatment, 441 infertile women who conceived spontaneously, and 1008 fertile women for comparison. Interventions Chart review. Main Outcome Measures Association of LBW or PTD with infertility treatment, maternal age, parity, obesity, or development of gestational diabetes. Results Infertile women who conceived with treatment were more likely to be obese, develop gestational diabetes, and have ovarian, ovulatory, or male factor infertility than infertile women who conceived spontaneously. Infertile women who conceived after treatment had 1.61 (95% CI 1.08– 2.41) times greater odds of having a LBW infant. Nulliparity was an independent predictor of LBW 1.54 (95% CI 1.09– 2.16) and PTD (OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.20–2.49) in all three groups after controlling for maternal age, history of infertility, infertility treatment, obesity, and gestational diabetes. Conclusions Nulliparous women and women with a history of infertility who conceive a singleton after treatment may be at increased odds for having a LBW infant. Infertile women do not appear to be at increased odds for PTD.