title: Paternal sperm concentration and growth and cognitive development in children born with a gestational age more than 32 weeks after assisted reproductive therapy.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  A possible impact of paternal sperm quality on the outcome in children born after assisted reproductive technologies, especially ICSI, has been discussed. The objective of this study was to assess whether sperm concentration has any influence on growth and cognitive development in children born with a gestational age more than 32 weeks after ICSI or IVF.
  
  
  METHODS
  Singleton children born after ICSI (n = 492) or IVF (n = 265) from five European countries were examined at age 5 years. The ICSI group was divided into five subgroups according to paternal sperm origin and sperm concentration: (1) epididymal and testicular sperm group, (2) ejaculated sperm < 1 x 10(6)/ml, (3) ejaculated sperm 1-4.99 x 10(6)/ml, (4) ejaculated sperm 5-19.99 x 10(6)/ml and (5) ejaculated sperm > or = 20 x 10(6)/ml. The IVF group was divided into two subgroups: (1) < 20 x 10(6)/ml and (2) > or = 20 x 10(6)/ml. Growth parameters at birth and age 5 were evaluated. Cognitive development was assessed with the Wechsler Preschool and Primary Scale of Intelligence-Revised.
  
  
  RESULTS
  No significant difference was found for gestational age, birth weight and birth weight standard deviation scores (SDS) between the ICSI and IVF sperm groups. No significant difference in height and weight at age 5 or SDS weight or height or BMIs at age 5 was found. There was no significant difference in total intelligence quotient (IQ)--performance or verbal IQ--between the groups.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  We found no indication that growth and cognitive development in ICSI and IVF children differed depending on paternal sperm concentration.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Institution for the Health of Women and Children, Sahlgrenska Academy, Göteborg University, Göteborg, Sweden. ulla-britt.wennerholm@vgregion.se
authors.forename: U-B
authors.initials: UB
authors.lastname: Wennerholm
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bonduelle
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sutcliffe
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bergh
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Niklasson
authors.forename: B
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Tarlatzis
authors.forename: C Mau
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Kai
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Peters
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Victorin Cederqvist
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Loft
mesh_terms: D003071:Cognition; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted; D013076:Sperm Count; D013094:Spermatozoa / Q000473:pathology*