The association between in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection treatment and the risk of congenital heart defects

Abstract

Objective

Assisted reproductive technology (ART), an effective treatment modality for infertility, is associated with a higher prevalence of congenital anomalies such as congenital heart defects (CHDs). The present study aimed to evaluate data linking CHDs in infants to pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilization (IVF) and/or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).

Methods

In this study, we conducted a systematic literature search on CHDs in infants following IVF/ICSI in Google Scholar, Embase, Scopus, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases from inception to February 2020. The search strategy used combinations of search keywords that included assisted reproductive technology/ART, in vitro fertilization/IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection/ICSI, birth defect, congenital malformation, and congenital heart defects.

Results

Fifty-six studies fulfilled the inclusion criteria and were selected in the current systematic review, which assessed the association between ART and the risk of CHDs.

Conclusion

Children conceived by IVF/ICSI manifested an increased risk of CHDs compared with spontaneously conceived children. Further studies are needed to assess the long-term cardiovascular safety of these techniques, which is important for the counseling of patients before the use of ART.

Keywords:

• Assisted reproductive technology
• congenital heart defects
• in vitro fertilization
• intracytoplasmic sperm injection
• birth defect

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge the support from Cardiogenetic Research Center, Rajaie Cardiovascular Medical and Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Many thanks are also due to the Department of Genetics and Molecular Medicine, Zanjan University of Medical Sciences, Zanjan, Iran.

Disclosure statement

The authors have no conflict of interest to declare.