What is the long-term effect of IVF?
Test tube baby is an important way of assisted reproductive technology, which is widely used in the treatment of infertility. Although the success rate of IVF continues to improve, people still have some doubts about the long-term effect of IVF. This article will discuss the long-term effects of IVF from the aspects of physical health, intellectual development, mental health and family relations.
Does IVF affect the mother's body?
IVF has no obvious negative impact on the mother's health. There is no significant difference in growth and development between IVF babies obtained through assisted reproductive technology and naturally pregnant babies. Research shows that the height, weight and intellectual development of IVF are comparable to those of naturally pregnant children. However, IVF requires assisted operations such as egg retrieval, which may cause some discomfort and pain, but these discomfort is generally temporary and will not affect the mother's health for a long time.
In addition, for IVF mothers, the pressure during pregnancy may be slightly greater than that of women who are naturally pregnant. Test tube babies need a series of treatment steps, and longer treatment time and surgical procedures may increase the psychological burden of mothers. Therefore, IVF mothers need more psychological support and attention during pregnancy.
How healthy is IVF?
Most IVF babies have no obvious physical abnormalities. According to the research data, there is no significant difference between the birth defect rate of IVF and that of naturally pregnant infants. However, some studies have shown that IVF may slightly increase the risk of premature delivery and low birth weight infants. This is not directly caused by IVF technology, but is related to factors such as older mothers of some IVF babies and multiple pregnancies.
In addition, the health problems of IVF also include genetic problems. IVF may carry the risk of genetic diseases related to the source of germ cells, such as single gene genetic diseases. Therefore, before assisted reproductive technology, gene testing and genetic counseling for couples are very important to ensure the health of IVF.
How about the intellectual development of IVF?
Some studies show that the intellectual development of IVF may be slightly lower than that of naturally pregnant infants. This difference is mainly due to the multiple pregnancy often associated with IVF technology. Multiple pregnancy will increase the risk of premature delivery and low birth weight infants, which may affect the intellectual development of children. However, even in the case of multiple pregnancies, the intellectual development of most IVF babies is still in the normal range.
How does IVF affect family relationships?
The impact of IVF on family relations is mainly reflected in the family's mental pressure and parents' expectations of children. The pregnancy process of IVF may bring greater economic and psychological pressure to the family, which may affect the relationship between husband and wife. In addition, couples often have high expectations for IVF. Once IVF fails to meet expectations, it may have some impact on family relations. Therefore, families should pay attention to mental health and communication when dealing with IVF problems.
To sum up, the long-term effects of IVF include physical health, intellectual development, mental health and family relations. Although IVF may have some risks and effects, the physical health and intellectual development of most IVF infants are comparable to those of naturally pregnant children. At the same time, IVF has no significant adverse effects on the mother's body. When facing the problem of IVF, families need to pay more attention and support, and pay attention to the mental health of family members.
