Dr. Vibha Rai
31 July 2007
Most
studies looking into the outcome of assisted reproduction have focussed on the
defects in IVF-conceived children either due to multiplicity or genetic
default. However, a recent study performed at the Linggin’s Institute at
Auckland University, New Zealand, has reported an average increase in height by at least
3 cm in children born following IVF treatment (Journal of Clinical
Endocrinology and Metabolism online, Jun12, 2007).
The study (by Harriet M L, et al, 2007) compared 69
IVF-conceived children in the age group of 4-10 years that formed the “Study
group” to 71 normally conceived children that acted as the control. The
selection and comparison criteria included factors such as socio-economic
status, age of the child, race, sex, nutritional status and also height of
their parents’.
When the results were analysed, IVF-conceived children
comparatively showed some promising positive signs. The most noticeable result
was their height which was 3 cm higher on an average. These children were also
slimmer than those in the control group with better blood lipids
which regulate fat.
The researchers of the study have put forth factors such
as genetic variation and selection of better quality embryos for embryo
transfer that may be responsible for the above findings.
It can be argued that it is too early to jump to
conclusions that all babies conceived following IVF are taller. The study did
not included IVF children from frozen embryo transfer and only singleton
pregnancies were considered for this study. However, it has definitely opened
the doors for more research in the future and it will not be long before more
such studies are reported.
http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/content/abstract/jc.2006-2465v1
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