Siblings conceived with assisted reproductive technology (ART) have similar perinatal outcomes according to a February 2022 AJOG study! Dr. Pelikh et al’s study of siblings conceived with and without medical assistance demonstrates that there are no significant differences in adverse outcomes between siblings conceived spontaneously versus with assisted conception.
This study specifically examined the rates of low birth weight and preterm delivery in children conceived with the assistance of medications, intrauterine insemination (IUI), or in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Utah and compared these rates to those among their spontaneously conceived siblings. The findings are reassuring and suggest that adverse perinatal outcomes are not increased by fertility treatments and reproductive medicines. It is interesting to note among non sibling pairs, the rates of preterm delivery were higher in the group conceived with medical assistance, suggesting that subfertility – and not reproductive technology— may entail higher risk pregnancies.