Birth defects in IVF children double previous figures, new research finds
Birth defects caused by in-vitro fertilisation are up to twice as common as previously thought, a study has found.
Doctors at fertility clinics should warn patients of the dangers, say researchers.
Scientists carried out a survey of more than 15,000 births from 2003 to 2007.
The study, the largest of its kind, found evidence of a higher-than-expected rate of serious congenital abnormalities.
Research leader Geraldine Viot said: "We found a major congenital malformation in 4.24pc of the children, compared with the 2-3pc that we had expected from previous published studies.
"This higher rate was due in part to an excess of heart diseases and malformations of the uro-genital system. This was much more common in boys.
"Among the minor malformations, we found a five times higher rate of angioma, benign tumours on or near the surface of the skin. These occurred more than twice as frequently in girls than boys."
She said that couples should be informed about the risks.
- John von Radowitz in London
Irish Independent
