Posted on 07/19/2013 2:20:21 PM PDT by NYer
July 19, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – A Swedish study has found that children conceived with a certain type of in vitro fertilization (IVF) have a 51 percent increased risk of intellectual impairment – defined as an IQ score below 70. They also linked the procedure to a small increased risk for autism in cases of twins and triplets.
Scientists studied data from 2.5 million births, and found the heightened risk in cases of babies conceived by a process in which the sperm is injected directly into the mother’s egg, known as Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI). ICSI is used typically to overcome male infertility.
The scientists behind the study pointed out that while the increased risk was statistically significant, it translates into comparatively small numbers in the real world: 92 per 100,000 (0.092 percent) vs. 62 per 100,000 children (0.062 percent).
“The exact mechanism is unclear, but there are a number of risk factors, from selection of IVF procedures, to multiple embryos, and to pre-term birth,” said study leader Dr. Avi Reichenberg, from the Institute of Psychiatry at King’s College London, according to the Press Association.
“Whilst intellectual disability or autism remain a rare outcome for IVF, being aware of the increased risk associated with specific types of IVF means offspring at risk can be identified and potentially monitored for developmental disorders, ensuring they receive early detection and appropriate support and care,” he said.
An editorial in the Journal of American Medical Association, where the study appeared, also pointed out that IVF in general has been linked to “increases in preterm delivery, low birth weight, neonatal admissions, and perinatal death,” as well as an “increased risk of congenital anomalies.”
In October 2012, researchers in California released the results of a study that found that children conceived by in vitro fertilization were 1.25 times more likely to suffer from a genetic disorder compared to children conceived naturally.
Another study released last May came to similar conclusions. Researchers found the overall risk of any birth defect when using assisted reproductive technologies was 8.3 percent, compared to the significantly lower 5.8 percent in naturally conceived children.
Interestingly, that study also found a heightened risk of birth defects associated with ICSI as compared to more standard methods of IVF - 9.9 percent for ICSI vs. 7.2 percent for other forms.
According to a 2010 French study – one of the largest on the subject - assisted reproductive technologies double a baby’s risk of deformity. That study found that more than four percent of fertility-treatment children had some form of congenital deformity, compared to the rate in the general population of between two-to-three percent.
In 2011, University of Toronto geneticist Dr. Rosanna Weksberg said that babies born from in vitro fertilization (IVF) are up to 10 times more likely to suffer from rare genetic disorders. Dr. Weksberg called for more research into the subject.
The British government’s Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority warned in 2009 that IVF babies have a 30 percent higher risk of genetic abnormality.
Ping!
Maybe there’s a reason for sperm cells competing to get to the egg first.
When you try to foce something, there are unintended consequences.
They need to compare IVF babies to babies naturally conceived by couples with fertility troubles - say couples who try for three to five years before they conceive.
It may be that couples with fertility problems will be more likely to have babies with congenital problems, even without IVF, than couples who conceive easily. Women who are relatively infertile are also more likely to suffer problems in pregnancy that lead to pregnancy loss or pre-term birth. Nasty double whammy there.
Aha, another article. I THINK I pinged one recently (only yesterday??). An unusual thing is usually I get a lot of replies on the articles I ping out. Not lately; either no replies or just one or two.
I figure it’s because people are so overloaded with bad news and hard times.
I will ping this out later. Very important for people to know that going against Nature always has bad results.
Maybe there are many reasons why making babies the natural way is always the best.
Here is a really interesting report on a possible antibody cause of Autism. I wonder if this could be a mechanism working somewhat like the transmission of RH negative problems with a second pregnancy?
Thank you for the link! Very interesting ... you should post it to the forum.
Could you or someone do it for me. I am trying to leave on vacation.
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