TY - JOUR T1 - Risk of mayor and minor birth defects in children conceived by assisted reproductive technology (IVF/ICSI): A prospective controlled cohort study JO - Anales de Pediatría (English Edition) T2 - AU - Sánchez Soler,María José AU - López-González,Vanesa AU - Ballesta-Martínez,María Juliana AU - Gálvez-Pradillo,Jorge AU - Nicolás-Arnao,María AU - Gómez-Sánchez,Emilio AU - Pérez-Fernández,Virginia AU - Guillén Navarro,Encarna SN - 23412879 M3 - 10.1016/j.anpede.2021.06.009 DO - 10.1016/j.anpede.2021.06.009 UR - https://www.analesdepediatria.org/en-risk-mayor-minor-birth-defects-articulo-S2341287921001861 AB - IntroductionAbout 0.2–6.1% of newborns in the developed world have been conceived by assisted reproductive techniques (ART). Higher rate of major and minor malformations have been described in this population, but the multiple possible confounders associated make it difficult to establish a direct causal relationship and the specific factors involved. Material and methodsTo determine the risk of these malformations in our population, a collaborative prospective controlled cohort study was designed. We collected the specific ART-data related to the clinical gestation of women treated in a period of 2 years in the Reproduction Unit from a Spanish public tertiary-level hospital. 231 out of 267 newborns of these gestation (88%) participated in the study and were assessed by a pediatrician with expertise in Clinical Genetics and Dysmorphology at 12–20 and 26–40 months of age. At the same time a controlled group of children naturally conceived (NC) was selected according to the following criteria: the next NC newborn belonging to the same group of maternal and gestational age, and type of gestation (single or multiple). 230 controls were chosen and 208 participated in the study (90%). ResultsMajor malformations were presented in 7.8% of the ART-children and 7.2% of the controls, without founding statistically differences between groups. However, differences were found in the risk of some minor malformations such as capillary malformations and pigmentary lesions, higher in the ART-group. A recurrent pattern of craneofacial anomalies was also unexpectedly detected. ConclusionsIn spite of the high rate of major congenital malformations detected, there were no differences between groups. Thus, our results suggest that ART may affect the normal embryonic development but in a milder way than other confounding factors do. The facial phenotype identified has not previously been described, either the higher risk of capillary malformations and pigmentary lesions. More studies are needed to confirm this association. ER -