Quote:
Originally posted by Allytigator
I'm taking an informal poll. Do you know children who were conceived via in vitro fertilization, and if so, are they as healthy and normal-sized as children conceived the old-fashioned way?
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I know a lot of kids who became possible by IVF and other fertility treatments. I've got twins, and we know a lot of twins through the local parents of multiples club. Most members of the club had multiples as the result of fertility treatments of one sort or another, mostly IVF.
The kids I know run the entire range of health and size. However, I have two observations, one statistical and one anecdotal.
Anecdotally, it seems like the naturally conceived children that are friends with the baltspawn seem on average to be healthier and bigger. There may be only an issue of correlation rather than causation, however, in that the children that seem less healthy were also born more prematurely, and it is the premature birth that contributes to the health problems. I don't think the premature births are the result of IVF, but may be influenced by other factors that also lead to IVF (age of the mother, health of the mother, etc.). And again, the IVF kids run the entire range. I would characterize very few as having significant health or developmental problems.
Statistically, IVF leads to much (much!) higher incidents of multiple births, and statistically multiple birth children are on average smaller and more prone to significant health issues than singletons. So there is some correlation, but it isn't necessarily such a high risk factor that you should walk away from IVF.
There is a lot of materials out there, and many people who have successfully conceived through IVF love to talk about it -- indeed, we have a couple of play date friends that won't shut up about it. (Nonetheless, some people don't want to talk about it at all, and it is considered rude to ask parents of twins if they had IVF - I'm just saying if you find somebody who did it, they may be quite willing to talk).
Best wishes in making your decision.
