Probably related to underlying infertility

It is well-known
that IVF babies have higher mortality rates, are more likely to be premature,
and have a small but significantly higher risk of birth defects. The question
is whether the cause of these adverse outcomes is IVF itself or whether it is
related to the infertility of the parents. Now a Norwegian study published in The Lancet contends that the 31% higher
risk of death before and after birth is due to the infertility of the parents.
"The adverse outcomes of assisted fertilisation that we noted compared
with those in the general population could therefore be attributable to the
factors leading to infertility, rather than to factors related to the
reproductive technology," said Dr Liv Bente Romundstad, from the Norwegian
University of Science and Technology in Trondheim. ~ Daily
Telegraph, July 31; Medical
Page Today, July 31

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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