In the largest-ever study of IVF birth defects, French researchers have found that more than 4% of all IVF babies have major congenital malformations. This is almost double that of babies conceived naturally, says clinical geneticist Geraldine Viot, of Paris’ Maternity Port Royal Hospital, at a European Society of Genetics conference in Stockholm.

Despite the dangers, she thought that most doctors working in fertility clinics in France would only tell couples about the risks if they were asked specific questions.

According to a study published in 2009, the number of babies born worldwide using ART rose from 219,000 annually in 2000 to 246,000 in 2002.

Viot’s research team surveyed births at 33 French fertility clinics between 2003 and 2007 – a total of 15,162 children.

Statistically, there was no difference between the average age of parents of babies with abnormalities and other parents who had used ART. Viot said more heart problems in ART babies partly caused the higher rate of abnormalities, as well as abnormalities of the urinary and reproductive systems.

A birth abnormality rate of this size, in Viot’s view, should be seen as a “public health issue”. "It is important that all doctors and also politicians are informed about this," she said.

"We also need to follow up all children born after ART and to put much more effort into trying to understand which of the procedures involved is implicated in this problem." ~ Reuters, Jun 13