Health and development of children conceived using assisted reproductive technology: a meta-analysis of real-world data.
Reprod Biomed OnlineJun 22, 2026 (epub)
Clinical ResearchObstetrics & Gynecology
Thy Phuong Anh Le, El-Wui Loh, Ting-Jung Lai et al.
✦ AI-curated · Sources linked
In 30 seconds
This meta-analysis evaluated the long-term health and developmental outcomes of children conceived via conventional IVF (cIVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) across 94 studies. It found that while congenital anomalies were generally low, chromosomal abnormalities were more common in the ICSI group (0.91% vs 0.06%; P = 0.0064).
Key findings
- Chromosomal abnormalities were more frequent in the ICSI group than in the cIVF group (0.91% vs 0.06%; P = 0.0064).
- Long-term health outcomes were broadly similar between cIVF and ICSI groups.
- Certain conditions, including cerebral palsy and cleft lip or palate, had an elevated risk in the ICSI group.
Why it matters
Understanding the long-term outcomes of children conceived through assisted reproductive technologies is crucial for clinicians to provide informed counseling and follow-up care for families considering these options.