Children born to women who underwent fertility treatment have 33 percent higher risk of developing psychiatric condition, a new research shows.
Researchers gathered data for the study from a registered study of all children born in Denmark between 1969 and 2006. The team found that 124,384 out of a total 2,430,826 children were born to women with fertility problems. Researchers then tracked the children for psychiatric disorders until 2009.
Around 170,240 children were diagnosed with some mental disorder during the study period. Researchers stated that children born to women with fertility problems had 33 percent more chances of developing a psychiatric condition.
In a separate analysis conducted to compare rates of psychiatric disorders diagnosed during childhood and in young adults, researchers found that the rate of mental disorder did not change significantly. This means that the increased risk continued into adulthood.
According to the researchers, the risk of developing schizophrenia, anxiety and even autism was found in children of mothers with fertility issues. The team explained that underlying genetic problems in the mother, rather than the fertility treatment might be the reason behind the increase in mental disorder risk.
"The small, but potentially increased risk of psychiatric disorders among the children born to women with fertility problems," said Dr Allan Jensen of the Danish Cancer Society Research Center at the University of Copenhagen, in a news release. However, this knowledge, he added, "should always be balanced against the physical and psychological benefits of a pregnancy."
"The exact mechanisms behind the observed increase in risk are still unknown but it is generally believed that underlying infertility has a more important role in adverse effects in offspring than the treatment procedures," Jensen said.
The study findings were announced at the 30th Annual Meeting of ESHRE in Munich.
