Impact of Assisted Reproduction Treatments on Spanish Newborns: Report of 14,119 Pregnancies

Purpose: To investigate neonatal malformation, prematurity, and stillbirth in singleton and multiple pregnancies derived from different Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART).

Methods: In this prospective cohort study data were collected, from private and public Spanish IVF units, during the years 2008 and 2009. During this period, 8,682 pregnancies were analysed from the initial 14,119 pregnancies reported. Pregnancies included in the study derived from IUI (n = 1,065), IVF (n = 838), ICSI (n = 5,080), FET (n = 1,404) and PGD (n = 295). This first analysis focuses primarily on neonatal malformation, prematurity, and stillbirth both in singleton and multiple pregnancies derived from different ART. Malformations were classified according to the WHO ICD 10 code.

Results: Malformations were found in 0.83 % of our newborns. No differences in malformations were observed between singletons or multiples independently of the ART used. There was a significant difference in prematurity rate among singletons depending on treatment but this association was not observed in multiple pregnancies. Stillbirth was significantly lower in singleton (0.72 %) than in multiple pregnancies (1.82 %).

Conclusions: The percentage of malformations observed in ART newborns was similar to the rate observed in the normally-conceived Spanish population. Multiplicity seems to be the most important factor associated with an increased incidence of newborn complications such as prematurity or stillbirth.