Babies conceived via vitro fertilization (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) are at a higher risk of experiencing congenital heart defects compared to those conceived spontaneously, according to a meta-analysis by Italian researchers. Their study, published in Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology, analyzed 8 cohort studies and discovered that children who were conceived through assisted reproductive technology had a significantly increased risk of developing congenital heart defects.
While the study was conducted to see if IVF- and ICSI-conceived fetuses should have echocardiograms, the researchers concluded that more research needs to be conducted because of limitations of the studies used in the meta-analysis.
