Comparison of psychosocial strengths and difficulties in children born through assisted reproductive technology versus naturally conceived children

A. H. M. Kazi Mostofa Kamal; Shah M. A. Uddin Bhuiyan; Luna Laila; M. Inamul Islam; Anup K. Biswas

doi:10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20241532

Authors

A. H. M. Kazi Mostofa Kamal Department of Psychiatry, Combined Military Hospital, Tangail, Bangladesh
Shah M. A. Uddin Bhuiyan Department of Psychiatry, Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
Luna Laila Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh
M. Inamul Islam Department of Psychiatry, Combined Military Hospital, Cox's Bazar, Bangladesh
Anup K. Biswas Department of Embryology, Fertility Centre, Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.18203/2320-6012.ijrms20241532

Keywords:

Children, Assisted Reproductive Technology, Normally Conceived, Psychosocial Strength

Abstract

Background: Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is a set of medical interventions used to facilitate the conception process in couples suffering from fertility issues. ART encompasses several techniques, including ovulation induction (OI), artificial insemination, testicular sperm extraction (TESE), in vitro fertilization (IVF), and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). This current study aimed to analyze the correlation between psychological strength and difficulties among children born by ART and normally conceived (NC) children.

Methods: The study was conducted in a longitudinal retrospective fashion, in Combined Military Hospital, Dhaka, Bangladesh, from December 2022 to June 2023. A total of 47 participants from the ART group and 50 participants from the NC group were selected as study subjects by purposive sampling technique. Data were gathered using a pre-designed questionnaire and analyzed using the statistical package for the social sciences (SPSS) version 23.0 computer program.

Results: The age range of the study participants was between 2 to 4 years old. A majority of the participants were female (53.2%), hailed from middle-class families (59.6%), lived in urban settings (42.6%), and identified as Muslim (72.3%). In terms of illnesses, a small proportion experienced physical ailments (6.4%) and psychiatric conditions (10.6%).

Conclusions: Despite persistent worries regarding the potential adverse developmental effects on children conceived by ART, research findings suggest that such children do not exhibit noteworthy physical, psychological, or developmental challenges when compared to those conceived naturally.

Metrics

Metrics Loading ...

References

Bauquis C. The world’s number of IVF and ICSI babies has now reached a calculated total of 5 million. Brussels: ESHRE. 2012.

Sullivan EA, Zegers-Hochschild F, Mansour R, Ishihara O, De Mouzon J, Nygren KG, et al. Assisted reproductive technology report 2004. Hum Reprod. 2013;28(5):1375-90.

Ferraretti AP, Goossens V, De Mouzon J, Bhattacharya S, Castilla JA, Korsak V, et al. European IVF-monitoring (EIM), Consortium, for the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE). Hum Reprod. 2012;27(9):2571-84.

Knoester M, Helmerhorst FM, Vandenbroucke JP, van der Westerlaken LA, Walther FJ, Veen S, et al. Cognitive development of singletons born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection compared with in vitro fertilization and natural conception. Fertil Steril. 2008;90(2):289-96.

Sandin S, Nygren KG, Iliadou A, Hultman CM, Reichenberg A. Autism and mental retardation among offspring born after in vitro fertilization. JAMA. 2013;310(1):75-84.

Hvidtjørn D, Schieve L, Schendel D, Jacobsson B, Svaerke C, Thorsen P. Cerebral palsy, autism spectrum disorders, and developmental delay in children born after assisted conception: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med. 2009;163(1):72-83.

Källén AJ, Finnström OO, Lindam AP, Nilsson EM, Nygren KG, Otterblad Olausson PM. Is there an increased risk for drug treated attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder in children born after in vitro fertilization? Eur J Paediatr Neurol. 2011;15(3):247-53.

Hvidtjørn D, Grove J, Schendel D, Schieve LA, Sværke C, Ernst E, et al. Risk of autism spectrum disorders in children born after assisted conception: a population-based follow-up study. J Epidemiol Community Health. 2011;65(6):497-502.

Punamäki RL, Tiitinen A, Lindblom J, Unkila-Kallio L, Flykt M, Vänskä M, et al. Mental health and developmental outcomes for children born after ART. Hum Reprod. 2016;31(1):100-7.

Colpin H, Soenen S. Parenting and psychosocial development of IVF children. Hum Reprod. 2002;17(4):1116-23.

Golombok S, Ilioi E, Blake L, Roman G, Jadva V. A longitudinal study of families formed through reproductive donation. Develop Psychol. 2017;53(10):1966.

Nekkebroeck J, Bonduelle M, Desmyttere S, Van den Broeck W, Ponjaert-Kristoffersen I. Socio-emotional and language development of 2-year-old children born after PGD/PGS, and parental well-being. Hum Reprod. 2008;23(8):1849-57.

Ludwig AK, Hansen A, Katalinic A, Sutcliffe AG, Diedrich K, Ludwig M, et al. Assessment of vision and hearing in children conceived spontaneously and by ICSI: a prospective controlled, single-blinded follow-up study. Reprod Biomed Online. 2010;20(3):391-7.

Wagenaar K, Ceelen M, Van Weissenbruch MM, Knol DL, Delemarre-van de Waal HA, Huisman J. School functioning in 8- to 18-year-old children born after in vitro fertilization. Eur J Pediatrics. 2008;167:1289-95.

Hart R, Norman RJ. The longer-term health outcomes for children born as a result of IVF treatment. Hum Reprod Update. 2013;19(3):244-50.