title: Medical, psychological and intellectual development of 5-year-old children born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The neurodevelopmental outcome of children born after intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) is controversial.
  
  
  METHODS
  Thus, we compared the medical and developmental outcome at a mean age of 5 years and 6 months of 35 singletons born after an ICSI procedure performed at the Tübingen Medical Center with those of 37 naturally conceived (NC) matched control singletons born at the Tübingen Medical Center. Children with congenital anomalies which could interfere with mental development were excluded, these were reported earlier. Each child was assessed neurologically and physically. Cognitive function was assessed using the Kaufman assessment battery for children (K-ABC). Behaviour was tested using a German behavioural questionnaire for preschoolers (VBV).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Medical and cognitive outcome, and behaviour pattern were similar in both groups. Nevertheless, there were sex-related differences in favour of ICSI children: ICSI boys had better social competence than the control boys, while ICSI girls had less emotional problems than the control girls.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Once severe congenital anomalies were excluded, there were no differences in physical and neurodevelopmental outcome of 5-year-old ICSI children compared with controls.With regard to behaviour and emotional development, ICSI children seem to be similar or might be even more stable and socially competent than the control children. As our study is limited by the small sample size, further research is needed to confirm our results.
authors: University Children’s Hospital, Tübingen, Germany. iciar.sanchez@med.uni-tuebingen.de
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Sanchez-Albisua
authors: K
authors: K
authors: Lidzba
authors: S
authors: S
authors: Borell-Kost
authors: U A
authors: UA
authors: Mau-Holzmann
authors: P
authors: P
authors: Licht
authors: I
authors: I
authors: Krägeloh-Mann
mesh_terms: D002652:Child Behavior / Q000502:physiology* / Q000523:psychology; D002657:Child Development / Q000502:physiology*; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D007361:Intelligence Tests; D008297:Male; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D010808:Physical Examination; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome