Having second thoughts about doing IVF after i've just found out this information

[Hdaniels11]

I've been in the infertility world for about 3 years and have been thinking about IVF for a while. I've been looking into it and google and everywhere i look it says IVF babies have a 50% increased risk of heart defects. WHAT? Is that true? do he literally never heard anything about that until now.
50% is massive!

I also learnt that Babies born from IVF have a much higher risk of any type of childhood cancer, as well as hepatic tumours compared with children born from natural conception.
I know ANY child or person can inevitably get cancer at any time but seeing all this stuff about their being a higher risk is scaring me.

I would love some insight into how accurate this is?
Has anyone got children made from IVF with these issues?
Aibu to be worried

I conceived ds2 naturally and he had a heart anomaly so it happens with falling pregnant naturally too

Are you really sure you want children if you are put off by such a tiny risk?

I didn’t know this before embarking on IVF and my IVF child has a heart defect (it seems that even the medical professionals don’t know this as the heart defect wasn’t picked up during my many antenatal scans or even in the immediate post natal period!)

However, I don’t think the knowledge would have stopped me. There is also a wide spectrum of heart defects - my IVF baby’s one actually self resolved after about 18 months. So even if your baby was in the 1.5% it’s not necessarily anything to worry about.

I think you should put something in the title, op, this could be distressing reading for people having done/doing ivf.
My amazing Dd was conceived through ivf and reading all this is just upsetting, especially the way it’s been written.

Our son is IVF and has a heart defect. Congenital heart disease includes hole in the heart right through to major defects needing surgery. DS's is aortic stenosis which means instead of three leaflets to the aortic valve he has two so the valve didn't open properly. He's had two procedures at a London hospital, day surgery, and is now a teenager. He may have to have a valve transplant later in life. But my dad had open heart surgery for a bypass and his mum had a pace maker so heart issues are in the family.

BUT...1 in 100 babies have congenital heart disease in the UK at birth (holes in the heart being the most common). My cousin, who is in his 70s, had a hole in the heart that was only picked up in a routine check at 52 years old! And Arnold Swazenegger has exactly the same valve problem as our DS - and I doubt he was IVF.

So who knows? A straw poll of parents who we met through a heart charity we belong to, associated with the hospital DS was treated by, says the majority of children were not IVF. It's not scientific obviously - just a chat at a conference.

Our DS found out three of his friends are IVF babies - no heart problems.

Hmm, well they give you progesterone to make your womb the most hospitable it can be to help implantation.

but they really only select pretty strong embryos. It’s been a while but I think they got 9 eggs from me, 6 fertilised, 2 did nothing, 2 started dividing and then stopped, and 2 got to a stage on day 3 post fertilisation where they could be implanted but had started to slow down so they went for replacement on day 3 as opposed to waiting for day 5.

of the two embryos replaced one implanted and we went on to have a healthy baby.

fwiw our fertility is classed as unexplained but I’m fairly convinced after studying my cycles the issue is my progesterone levels drop off too quickly after ovulation not giving the fertilised eggs a chance to implant. The fact that an embryo implanted with high doses of progesterone during my IVF had my almost certain that’s what it was

My non-IVF baby was born with a heart defect, during the first COVID lockdown. He had it repaired at 4 months old and is a thriving almost 3 year old now with no after effects. Yes it was horrendously stressful at the time (1 hour visiting per day when he was in intensive care etc) but as someone who has struggled to remain pregnant and experienced multiple miscarriages I am so so grateful to have him and would not be put off from IVF if this is something that would help me on that basis.

IVF has never been a consideration for me so I can't empathize on that level but I do think you need to think about the fact that there is risk with all life. Your child is not going to go through life without experiencing some difficulty at some point with some aspect of their physical or mental health - we can't control everything and need to learn to live with the ups and downs and decide whether the potential joy that children can bring is worth the possible risks.

I also have a naturally conceived dc who had a congenital heart defect. We were told that statistically this made it more likely that a subsequent dc would also have a defect - 1 in 70, rather than 1 in 100 for a baby who didn't have a sibling with CHD. We still had another child. And, although dd was poorly as a baby, her defect was repaired and she is perfectly well now.

Very surprised to hear this. I know lots of ivf babies and don’t know of any with significant health conditions at all.
I do know that being a twin is linked to various adverse health outcomes but even so, none of the twins I know have anny health issues either.
it’s not something I’d worry about personally

I considered IVF and chose not to go through with it. I haven't read about the increased risks you have mentioned in your post but for me it was the success rate. It is incredibly expensive and invasive with only a 19 percent success rate for my age group.

Is it because of the older age really which is increasing the risk , more chances of twin pregnancy, pregnancy complications rather than it being just because of IVF ?

Sorry I don’t have a link but within the last 2 weeks there was a report in the Guardian re scientific research which showed IVF children are no different regarding meeting developmental targets from naturally conceived children.

Interesting statistics if true. But what’s the “absolute” risk? Double the risk sounds high, but if it goes from 1% likelihood to 2% is it really that big?

Step away from Google and go for your IVF if you want a child there are no guarantees in life. The option to have IVF is a privellage

50% of a very small number is still a very small number. It isn’t massive at all.

My son was born via IVF. At a recent parents meeting with his teacher she told us that she thinks he is the brightest child in the class. He’s only 7 but he is excelling at most things and is especially good at reading and maths. I play chess with him and he often wins against me. He was born a few weeks premature and is little for his age but other than that is fine

It doesn't mean 50% of ivf babies have heart defects.

It is true and two out of my 4 ivf babies have had abnormalities. Baby 1 (living) has ventriculomegaly and an absent csp. He has had normal development but may have adhd and is under assessment atm. Baby 2 miscarried at 8 weeks, Baby 3 had left sided heterotaxy and vacterl which caused multiple severe defects in all his organs except his brain and lungs, we very sadly had a tfmr at 26 weeks so he would not suffer. Baby 4 is a healthy boy with no issues in pregnancy or since. I am the only one I know in my ivf support group who has had two children with different rare congenital abnormalities. Nothing was found in genetic testing and we were told we were just incredibly unlucky. I do know a few others who's babies had heart defects but the vast majority have had healthy children.

I don’t know about any other IVF children but my nephew who’s 4.5 has nothing wrong with him at all medically.

I’d do research into this first though.

As PP’s have said IVF is tough, my SIL got pregnant first round at 34 but her next round a few years later (delay due to covid) failed, and she’s about to start her probably final round (private) just before her 40th birthday.

It is not unreasonable to assume that women who conceive via IVF may be older than women with naturally conceived pregnancies. Her eggs may not be of such good quality and her body may struggle more during the pregnancy resulting in a premature birth which can cause problems.
There are so many factors involved it is extremely difficult to determine what causes what
I have had 2 IVF babies, just for the record

This is exactly the same with my nephew who’s 4.5. Teacher is constantly praising him for reading and writing, says he’s top of class in both or if not top in top 3 for this. He soaks up information like a sponge. He gets a lot of attention and input from both parents though as well as wider family.

He’s on the verge of being precocious and can be a bit of a know it all but he’s also a very sweet, loving and caring little boy.

@Cheesecakeandwineinasuitcase That’s lovely but @FrownedUpon is correct.
Mine has ADHD & Autism, 2 of my friends IVF babies have a developmental delay /SEN. Out of 5 of us, only 2 DC have no issues.

Evidence please.

Because that is quite a claim.

Evidence and stats please.

Would be interested to read on this.

I've just checked the stats first time birth average non assisted reproduction 29.1. IVF average age 35.7 thats a big gap. I think it's that IVF pregnancies are generally older not because of IVF its self.