Risk of IVF
IVF is a baby born through in vitro fertilization technology assisted reproduction. Although IVF technology has made great breakthroughs and successes in the field of modern medicine, there are still some risks of disease. This article will describe the risk of IVF from the aspects of genetic disease, risk of premature birth, multiple pregnancy and mental health.
Risk of genetic diseases
IVF may be threatened by genetic diseases. In assisted reproduction, parents with genetic diseases may pass these genes on to their offspring. Although the medical team has been carefully screened, these risks cannot be completely eliminated. According to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, the risk of IVF suffering from genetic diseases is twice that of naturally conceived infants, about 4% to 9%.
However, because of these risks, the genetic screening of IVF has also been improved. Some IVF babies will be screened for chromosomal abnormalities or single gene genetic diseases before birth, which will help ensure the health of their offspring.
In addition, some test tube babies will also receive further genetic testing after birth in order to find and treat genetic diseases as soon as possible. Parents in the United States can usually consult genetic experts before accepting assisted reproductive technology, and make corresponding decisions according to experts' suggestions.
Risk of premature delivery
IVF infants have a relatively high risk of preterm birth. According to the National Institutes of Health, IVF babies are twice as likely to suffer from premature delivery as naturally conceived babies. This may be related to the higher multiple pregnancy rate of IVF.
In IVF technology, doctors usually implant multiple embryos into the mother in order to improve the success rate of pregnancy. This increases the risk of IVF suffering from multiple pregnancy, which often leads to an increased risk of premature delivery. However, some hospitals and medical institutions in the United States have taken measures to limit multiple pregnancies, such as single embryo transfer, so as to reduce the risk of premature birth of test tube babies.
In addition, pregnant women themselves also need to pay special attention to maintaining good health during pregnancy, follow the doctor's advice, and conduct regular prenatal reexamination and prenatal testing. By actively managing pregnancy and caring for the fetus, the risk of premature birth of IVF can be reduced.
Risk of multiple pregnancies
IVF babies have a higher risk of multiple pregnancies. In IVF technology, doctors usually implant multiple embryos to improve the success rate of pregnancy. However, it also increases the risk of multiple pregnancy, which will bring many potential complications and health problems.
Multiple pregnancies are associated with an increase in preterm birth rates. In addition to the risk of premature delivery, multiple pregnancy may also lead to low birth weight, fetal growth retardation, placental insufficiency and other problems. These problems further increase the need for special attention and care after IVF birth.
In order to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancy, some hospitals and medical institutions have restricted the implantation of multiple embryos. In the United States, many IVF research centers have adopted the policy of single embryo transfer to reduce the incidence of multiple pregnancies and improve the probability of successful pregnancy of each embryo.
Mental health risks
Parents of IVF babies may be at risk of mental health problems. The pressure, anxiety and worry experienced by IVF may cause parents to have negative emotions and affect their mental health.
In addition, if failure or abortion occurs during IVF, it will have a huge impact on the couple's psychology and emotions. This is especially true for infertile patients, who have experienced a long period of infertility and cannot successfully conceive naturally. Therefore, the failure of IVF may have a greater impact on their mental health.
In order to deal with these risks, many IVF clinics in the United States provide psychological support and counseling services, aiming to help parents cope with emotional and psychological pressure during IVF and enhance their psychological resilience.
Summary
Although IVF technology has brought hope to long-term infertile couples, its risk still exists. Genetic diseases, risk of premature birth, multiple pregnancy and mental health problems are all risks faced by IVF. However, through genetic testing, pregnancy management and psychological support, these risks can be reduced to a certain extent, and the survival rate and quality of life of IVF can be improved.
