A recent study, presented at ESHRE, shows no discernible difference in 9th grade academic outcomes between children conceived by assisted reproductive techniques (ART) and children who were conceived spontaneously. Anne Lærke Spangmose Pedersen, a medical student in the fertility clinic of Copenhagen University Hospital in Denmark, presented the results and states that the higher obstetric risk identified in ART pregnancies is not associated with poorer academic performance in adolescence. As so many children are now conceived by assisted reproduction, Ms Pedersen described the results as “reassuring” for both parents and IVF clinics. Any possible effect of prematurity in ART children, she said, seems to be removed over time.”ART is still associated with a slightly increased risk of congenital malformations and prematurity,” said Ms Pedersen, “and we should continue to survey our ART children, as new developments in technique – such as vitrification and blastocyst culture – are always being introduced. The results of this study, however, show us that we can continue to perform ART as a trusted method from the long-term child perspective.
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