title: Perinatal outcomes by mode of assisted conception and sub-fertility in an Australian data linkage cohort.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Fertility treatment is associated with increased risk of major birth defects, which varies between in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and is significantly reduced by embryo freezing. We therefore examined a range of additional perinatal outcomes for these exposures.
  
  
  METHODS
  All patients in South Australia receiving assisted conception between Jan 1986-Dec 2002 were linked to the state-wide perinatal collection (all births/stillbirths ≥20 weeks gestation or 400 g birth weight, n = 306 995). We examined stillbirth, mean birth weight, low birth weight (<2500 g, <1500 g), small size for gestational age (<10th percentile, <3rd percentile), large size for gestational age (>90th percentile), preterm birth (32-<37 weeks, <32 weeks gestation), postterm birth (≥41 weeks gestation), Apgar <7 at 5 minutes and neonatal death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Relative to spontaneous conceptions, singletons from assisted conception were more likely to be stillborn (OR = 1.82, 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 1.34-2.48), while survivors as a group were comprehensively disadvantaged at birth, including lower birth weight (-109 g, CI -129--89), very low birth weight (OR = 2.74, CI 2.19-3.43), very preterm birth (OR = 2.30, CI 1.82-2.90) and neonatal death (OR = 2.04, CI 1.27-3.26). Outcomes varied by type of assisted conception. Very low and low birth weight, very preterm and preterm birth, and neonatal death were markedly more common in singleton births from IVF and to a lesser degree, in births from ICSI. Using frozen-embryos eliminated all significant adverse outcomes associated with ICSI but not with IVF. However, frozen-embryo cycles were also associated with increased risk of macrosomia for IVF and ICSI singletons (OR = 1.36, CI 1.02-1.82; OR = 1.55, CI 1.05-2.28). Infertility status without treatment was also associated with adverse outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Births after assisted conception show an extensive range of compromised outcomes that vary by treatment modality, that are substantially reduced after embryo freezing, but which co-occur with an increased risk of macrosomia.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Melbourne, Royal Women's Hospital, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: Jennifer L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Marino
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia ; Robinson Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Vivienne M
authors.initials: VM
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Kristyn J
authors.initials: KJ
authors.lastname: Willson
authors.affiliation: Robinson Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia ; Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Alice
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Rumbold
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia ; Robinson Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Melissa J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Whitrow
authors.affiliation: Discipline of Public Health, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia ; Robinson Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Lynne C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: Giles
authors.affiliation: Robinson Institute, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia ; Discipline of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, The University of Adelaide, Adelaide, South Australia, Australia.
authors.forename: Michael J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Davies
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D003625:Data Collection; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007247:Infertility, Female / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050498:Live Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D011256:Pregnancy Outcome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D050497:Stillbirth / Q000453:epidemiology; D014427:Twins / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D055815:Young Adult