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Learn about the health risks associated with IVF for the mother (OHSS symptoms) and child (prematurity), and how to manage them.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
IVF is a safe and common procedure, but like any medical treatment, it carries potential risks for both the mother and the resulting baby. It is important for patients to understand these possibilities fully. This section covers potential health issues for babies born using IVF, which are sometimes called “IVF Conditions,” as well as risks for the mother during the treatment cycle.
The potential issues for the child are often related to multiple births (twins or triplets), which are more common with IVF, or risks associated with the underlying causes of infertility. Understanding these risks helps families prepare.
While most babies born from IVF are perfectly healthy, studies suggest a slightly higher chance of specific complications compared to naturally conceived children. These signs are often identified at birth or shortly after.
The early warning signs primarily relate to birth outcomes and development:
These issues are not IVF Conditions hereditary, they are linked to the process itself or the characteristics of the parents seeking treatment.
When doctors discuss the risks of IVF for children, they focus on two primary issues: being born too early and having low birth weight. These two factors can then lead to secondary complications in the child’s development.
These symptoms are not caused by the IVF procedure itself, but rather by the outcomes it may sometimes lead to, such as a multiple pregnancy.
The most serious potential complication for the mother during the treatment cycle itself is Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome (OHSS). This happens when the ovaries overreact to the fertility medication and become swollen and painful.
While most cases of OHSS are mild, it can sometimes be severe and require immediate medical attention. Emergency Symptoms: When to Call 911 or contact your IVF team immediately:
These symptoms indicate fluid shifts in the body and require specialized care from the IVF team to prevent serious complications like blood clots.
Some factors that influence the potential risks associated with IVF are related to the patient’s existing health or biology. These are considered non-modifiable risk factors.
Understanding who is at high risk for IVF-caused diseases (i.e., birth complications) starts with acknowledging the age and health history of the woman undergoing the procedure.
Patients have significant control over factors that can improve the success of IVF and reduce the risk of complications for both the mother and baby. These are the modifiable risk factors (lifestyle/environment).
Focusing on these long-term pediatric risks of IVF shows that patient choices play a major role in optimizing IVF child health.
Send us all your questions or requests, and our expert team will assist you.
Despite the discussion of potential complications, it is important to place the risks of IVF into perspective. The overall message is reassuring: most children born through IVF are perfectly healthy.
Many studies suggest that the slightly elevated risks (like prematurity) are often linked to the underlying reasons why the couple needed IVF in the first place, rather than the technology itself. For example, a woman with a history of recurrent loss or long-term infertility may already have risks separate from the IVF process.
Overall, IVF is a very safe and effective treatment. While the rate of certain birth defects and complications is slightly higher than natural conception, the absolute risk remains very low. The increase in multiple births, which is largely controllable through Single Embryo Transfer, accounts for the majority of the difference in risk. Are IVF Conditions hereditary? No, the risk of a slightly lower birth weight is generally not passed on to the child’s own children. The specialized monitoring and high level of care provided by a clinic like LIV Hospital further mitigate these risks, ensuring the best possible outcome for both mother and baby.
The “warning signs” in the context of IVF refer to birth complications like preterm birth (before 37 weeks) and low birth weight. A slightly higher, but still low, risk of minor birth defects, such as a heart condition, is also considered. These are usually identified at birth.
Patients who are at high risk for birth complications following IVF include women over the age of 40, those with pre-existing conditions like diabetes, and, most significantly, patients who become pregnant with twins or triplets (multiple gestation).
Yes, some potential risks, like certain structural birth defects (e.g., specific heart defects), can sometimes show a subtle difference in prevalence between male and female infants. However, the primary risks, preterm birth and low birth weight, do not typically differ between men and women based on gender.
The biggest controllable risk factors are related to the parents’ health and behavior. Smoking, being significantly overweight or underweight, and poor nutrition increase the risk of complications. Choosing to transfer more than one embryo (leading to multiples) is the greatest modifiable factor that increases the risk of prematurity.
Generally, no. The slightly increased risk of complications like low birth weight or prematurity is linked to the IVF cycle or underlying infertility, not an inherited genetic trait that the child would pass on. The genetic inheritance is determined by the parents’ DNA, not the fertilization method.
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