Parental infertility and developmental coordination disorder in children.
BACKGROUND
It has previously been reported that children born after infertility treatment had a slight delay in early motor milestones. In this study, we examined whether children of infertile couples with or without infertility treatment had a higher risk of developmental coordination disorder (DCD).


METHODS
We used data on parental infertility and DCD among 23 167 singletons from the Danish National Birth Cohort (1996-2002). Data on time to pregnancy (TTP) and infertility treatment were collected early in pregnancy. Data on DCD in children were collected using the Developmental Coordination Disorder Questionnaire, filled in by the mothers during follow-up when the children were 7 years old. We used the recommended cut-off for the age group to classify children.


RESULTS
Compared with children born of fertile couples, children conceived after a waiting TTP of longer than 12 months had a slightly higher risk of DCD [odds ratio (OR) 1.35, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.03-1.77], but the estimated OR was not significant in children born after infertility treatment (OR 1.19, 95% CI 0.86-1.66). None of the individual treatment procedures was significantly associated with a higher risk of DCD. Children of parents who had not planned their pregnancy showed no elevated risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings are overall reassuring, although it is possible that low fecundity may be associated with a modestly increased risk of DCD.
The Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Department of Epidemiology, School of Public Health, University of Aarhus, Bartholins Allé 2, 8000 Aarhus C, Denmark. zjl@soci.au.dk
Jin Liang
JL
Zhu
Carsten
C
Obel
Olga
O
Basso
Jørn
J
Olsen
D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003718:Denmark; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007246:Infertility / Q000150:complications* / Q000628:therapy; D008297:Male; D019957:Motor Skills Disorders / Q000209:etiology*; D016017:Odds Ratio; D010290:Parents; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013997:Time Factors; D055815:Young Adult