title: Perinatal outcome of pregnancies after assisted reproduction: a case-control study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  A matched case-control study of all pregnancies obtained after either IVF or ICSI was conducted to investigate the perinatal outcome.
  
  
  METHODS
  Three hundred eleven singleton and 115 twin pregnancies obtained after assisted reproduction were studied. Controls were selected from a regional register and were matched for maternal age, parity, singleton or twin pregnancy, and date of delivery.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was observed for gestational age at delivery, birth weight, incidence of congenital anomalies, and incidence of perinatal mortality between ART (singleton and twin) pregnancies and spontaneous controls. ART twin pregnancies showed a higher incidence of preterm deliveries than control pregnancies (52 vs 42%; P < 0.05) and needed more neonatal intensive care (47 vs 26%; P < 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  From this case-control study it is concluded that the perinatal outcome of ART singleton pregnancies is not different from that in matched controls. ART twin pregnancies showed a higher incidence of preterm deliveries than control pregnancies and needed more neonatal intensive care.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Dhont
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: De Neubourg
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Van der Elst
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: De Sutter
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001724:Birth Weight; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007226:Infant Mortality; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007363:Intensive Care Units, Neonatal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010298:Parity; D018743:Perinatal Care; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple; D014427:Twins