Is fetal growth impaired after in vitro fertilization?
BACKGROUND
The objective was to study fetal growth parameters in in vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancies and to investigate the relationship between fetal growth and maternal blood pressure.


METHODS
We examined 64 women, pregnant after in vitro fertilization, with repeated ultrasound examinations measuring biparietal diameter, femur length, abdominal diameter and fetal weight at 24, 30, and 36 weeks of gestation. We calculated deviations in percent from expected values in regards to biparietal diameter, femur length, abdominal diameter, and fetal weight. Blood pressure was measured every second week.


RESULTS
Biparietal diameter in the study group was significantly smaller at 24 (-3.3%, 95%CI -4.4 to -2.2) and 30 (-1.4%; 95%CI -2.5% to -0.3) weeks. Femur length differed significantly on all three occasions, at 24 (-6.3%; 95%CI -7.7 to -5.1), 30 (-6.6%; 95%CI -8.0 to -5.3), and 36 (-3.9%; 95%CI; -5.0 to -2.8) weeks. Abdominal diameter demonstrated a significant deviation at 24 weeks (-1.6%; 95%CI -2.8 to -0.4). Fetal weight did not reach significant deviations at any gestational age. There was no correlation between deviation of the individual growth parameters or estimated fetal weight and elevated blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
The growth pattern of in vitro fertilization pregnancies does not seem to differ from spontaneously conceived pregnancies to any appreciable extent. In the present material, no relationship between fetal growth and maternal blood pressure could be observed. We could not show that an impaired fetal growth predates the development of hypertension.
Institution of Clinical Science Intervention and Technology, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Karolinska University Hospital, Huddinge, Sweden. liv.ahlborg@karolinska.se
Liv
L
Ahlborg
Sverker
S
Ek
Margareta
M
Fridström
Marius
M
Kublickas
Magnus
M
Leijon
Henry
H
Nisell
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D005317:Fetal Growth Retardation / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal