IVF twins have more health problems

Researchers at Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research have found that twins born as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART) such as IVF are more likely to be admitted to neonatal intensive care and to be hospitalised in their first three years of life than spontaneously conceived twins.

The research has been published online in Europe’s leading reproductive medicine journal Human Reproduction.  

Study author Michele Hansen said the results were based on an analysis of hospital admissions for all twin children born in Western Australia between 1994 and 2000.  

The study compared outcomes for ART twins with spontaneously conceived twins of different sex so that the results were not influenced by specific complications that can affect identical twins who share a placenta.  

"We found that twins conceived following ART treatment had a greater risk of preterm birth, low birthweight and death compared with spontaneously conceived twins," Ms Hansen said.  

"ART twins stayed in hospital longer after delivery and were 60 per cent more likely to be admitted to a neonatal intensive care unit. They were also more likely to be admitted to hospital in their first three years of life."  

Ms Hansen said the findings should not alarm couples undergoing ART treatment as most babies are delivered healthy or with problems that can be easily addressed.  

"The aim of this type of research is to identify any potential areas where techniques or care could be improved to ensure an even better outcome for babies and their parents," Ms Hansen said.  

"We don’t know the reason for the increased risks of health problems and preliminary analysis of specific diagnoses does not provide any answers. More research is needed to establish whether it could be due to the underlying causes of parental infertility and/or components of the ART procedure.  

"However in order to reduce the problems associated with twin births, clinicians and couples should consider the benefits of opting for single embryo transfer."

(Source: Perth’s Telethon Institute for Child Health Research: Human Reproduction: May 2009)