Abstract
ObjectivesTo investigate bone mineral density (BMD) differences between assisted reproductive technology (ART)-conceived children and naturally conceived (NC) children.Study DesignThis retrospective cohort study included ART-conceived children and controls aged 1 to 12 years assessed with a follow-up protocol. Maternal and paternal background, birth condition, and growth and development indicators were analyzed.ResultsThe ART and NC groups exhibited differences in maternal and paternal childbearing age; maternal weight; maternal body mass index (BMI); maternal alcohol consumption; paternal smoking; delivery method; and serum zinc, iron, and lead levels. Multifactor analysis adjusted for relevant factors showed that paternal childbearing age and group significantly affected the BMD Z score. In the subgroup analysis, in vitro fertilization (IVF) (p=0.026) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) (p=0.008) had a positive impact on the BMD Z score. Male infertility only (p=0.010) or male infertility combined with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) (p=0.026) may affect the BMD Z score. In the embryo transfer cycle subgroup analysis, compared with natural conception, both stimulation cycle fresh embryo transfer (p=0.019) and natural cycle frozen embryo transfer (p=0.006) had a positive effect on the BMD Z score.ConclusionsThe BMD levels of the ART and control groups were generally in the normal range. Paternal childbearing age and the use of ART independently affected the BMD Z score of the offspring.
Highlights
Infertility has become an increasingly common health problem, affecting approximately 48.5 million couples worldwide [1]
Osteoporosis is a serious disease, and there is inconsistent evidence regarding whether there is a difference in bone mineral density (BMD) in the offspring conceived by Assisted reproductive technology (ART)
The inclusion criteria for the ART group were as follows: willingness to participate voluntarily and cooperatively, prepubertal status, singleton birth, full-term birth, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer (IVF-ET) or ICSI as the ART method, infertility factors that included polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) and/or male factors, and embryo transfer cycle that was carried out via a fresh embryo being transferred in a stimulated cycle or a frozen embryo being transferred in a natural cycle
Summary
Infertility has become an increasingly common health problem, affecting approximately 48.5 million couples worldwide [1]. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is one of the three main treatment strategies used. There has been great progress in ART, especially in the fields of fertility preservation, preimplantation aneuploidy screening, uterine transplantation and mitochondrial replacement technology to prevent serious diseases, and previously incurable cases have been successfully treated [2,3,4,5]. Bone density is the most sensitive early warning factor for osteoporosis. Osteoporosis is a serious disease, and there is inconsistent evidence regarding whether there is a difference in bone mineral density (BMD) in the offspring conceived by ART
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