HFEA dismisses claims that IVF children need health checks as 'ludicrous'
23 October 2002
The HFEA is not, as has been reported, about to launch a study on the long term effect of assisted reproductive techniques on children born from them. And there is no substance to reports that the HFEA is intending to ´call in' children born as a result of assisted conception for ´health checks'.
The HFEA and the Medical Research Council are currently involved in a working group chaired by Professor Catherine Peckham a senior epidemiologist at the Institute of Child Health. The Group intends to review current knowledge of IVF and its possible health effects. It will advise on what further research is necessary, and how this might best be carried out. It is expected to report in 2003.
The working group is a response to concerns that some assisted conception techniques, specifically Intra-Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI) may be associated with slightly higher rates of birth defects than natural conception. Studies suggest that minor abnormalities occur in up to 20% of babies born following ICSI compared with 15% of the population. The number of babies reported to have major birth defects such as cleft palate is between 1% and 5% in both the general population and babies following ICSI. Studies disagree on whether or not ICSI is associated with developmental delay at one year.
HFEA chief executive Dr Maureen Dalziel said:
´There is no need for people who have had children with fertility treatment to be worried. It is simply that there is a lot we don't know and we believe further studies are important. The notion that ´IVF children' need health checks is ludicrous'.
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Notes to editors
For furthur information please contact the HFEA press office.
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