Developmental outcomes in children from cryopreserved embryos compared to their siblings from fresh embryo transfers: a case series

Abstract

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the developmental outcomes in children from cryopreserved embryos, with minimum influences of interparental variation that would cause potential bias. Hence we examined siblings, in which the older sibs were from fresh embryo transfers, while the younger sibs were from cryopreserved embryos.

Methods

Three pairs of siblings were evaluated. All routine prenatal and neonatal evaluation were performed, while personal-social, language, fine and gross motor evaluation were all evaluated by the Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST)-II. Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence (WPPSI) test was used to measure the Intelligent Quotient (IQ) in 5 of 6 children.

Results

Standard prenatal measurements of all children suggested uneventful pregnancies, followed by uneventful deliveries. DDST-II results showed that the aspects of personal-social, language, fine and gross motor in every child are as expected according to their ages. Results from WPPSI tests suggest that 5 of 6 evaluated children acquired average to high-average intelligences.

Conclusions

The results suggest that the developmental outcomes in children from cryopreserved embryos have no significant differences with the outcomes in children from fresh embryo transfers.

Keywords:

• Cryopreserved embryos
• fresh embryo transfers
• Denver Developmental Screening Test (DDST)
• Intelligent Quotient (IQ)

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).