Assisted reproductive technology and risk of asthma and allergy in the offspring: protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis.
BACKGROUND
The use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) procedures has increased globally over the last three decades. Recent observational studies suggest that children conceived through ART may be at increased risk of asthma and atopic disease compared with children conceived naturally, but findings are mixed. We aim to synthesise the evidence on the impact of ART on the risk of asthma and atopic disease in the offspring.


METHODS
We will identify relevant studies by searching MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, ISI Web of Science, CINAHL, Scopus, Google Scholar, AMED, Global Health, PsychINFO, CAB International and the WHO Global Health Library from 1978 to 2016. We will locate additional studies through searching databases of the proceedings of international conferences, contacting international experts in the field, and searching the references cited in identified studies. We will include analytic observational studies (cohort studies, case-control studies and cross-sectional studies) that have investigated the impact of any type of ART on offspring's asthma and atopic disease. Screening of identified records, data extraction from eligible studies and risk of bias assessment of eligible studies will be independently undertaken by two reviewers, with arbitration by a third reviewer. The Effective Public Health Practice Project will be employed for risk of bias assessment. Estimates from studies judged to be clinically, methodologically and statistically homogeneous will be synthesised using random-effects meta-analysis.


BACKGROUND
As this study is based solely on the published literature, no ethics approval is required. We will publish our findings in a peer-reviewed scientific journal and present the results at national and international scientific conferences.


BACKGROUND
We will register a detailed protocol for the review with the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (PROSPERO) prior to starting the review.
School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Bright I
BI
Nwaru
Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Nicola
N
McCleary
Department of Food and Environmental Sciences, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Maijaliisa
M
Erkkola
Department of Public Health, University of Helsinki, Helsinki, Finland.
Minna
M
Kaila
Nutrition Unit, Department of Lifestyle and Participation, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland Tampere Centre for Child Health Research, Tampere University Hospital, Tampere, Finland Science Centre of Pirkanmaa Hospital District, Tampere University Hospital and University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland School of Health Sciences, University of Tampere, Tampere, Finland.
Suvi M
SM
Virtanen
Asthma UK Centre for Applied Research, Centre for Medical Informatics, Usher Institute of Population Health Sciences and Informatics, The University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh, UK.
Aziz
A
Sheikh
D000328:Adult; D001249:Asthma / Q000209:etiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003876:Dermatitis, Atopic / Q000209:etiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D064887:Observational Studies as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000009:adverse effects*; D012307:Risk Factors; D000078202:Systematic Reviews as Topic; D015201:Meta-Analysis as Topic
REPRODUCTIVE MEDICINE