RESEARCH

Why is this study necessary?

1 in 6 couples experience difficulty in conceiving children naturally and fertility treatments can help many of these couples. 0.3% of children born in the UK in 1992 were conceived with assisted reproductive technologies (ART) such as in-vitro fertilisation (IVF). By 2012 this proportion had increased to 2.2% and continues to rise every year. Therefore, the need to monitor their long-term health and development becomes increasingly important. The development of children born after ART may differ from naturally conceived children. Children born after ART are more likely to be born smaller in size, are more likely to be born premature and are more likely to be born as part of a multiple births (e.g. twins) when compared to naturally conceived children. These factors are may have adverse effects on children’s neurodevelopment. Furthermore, during ART embryos are exposed to unnatural environments and high doses of powerful hormones, which may have important effects on the developing embryo, including the brain.

Our previous work has identified that children’s educational potential and learning difficulties are one of the most common areas of parental concern regarding their ART children, and a topic they feel requires further study. High-quality research is essential for us to understand whether or not this increasing population of children are at higher risk of developing any problems as they grow and develop so that couples considering ART can receive appropriate and reliable information, and any problems in children can be identified and managed early.