A recent study has emerged that questions the safety of this assisted reproduction technique, ensuring that in Pregnancies achieved by in vitro fertilization (IVF) have four times the risk of fetal death.
Of course, this conclusion has put the hair on end to many experts who defend the reliability of IVF. They claim that the study could be misunderstood and sow an unnecessary alarm.
In the study in question, published in Human Reproduction, researchers have found that fetal death after week 24 of gestation was four times higher in infants conceived by IVF, instead it was not in subfertile couples or treated with other techniques such as insemination and hormonal stimulation.
Those who disagree with the research findings argue that the risk of fetal death is related to the characteristics of the population that undergoes assisted reproduction techniques, however, by linking a higher rate of fetal death with IVF and not with other techniques, this position would be ruined.
On the other hand, there is a previous Swedish study that also disputes the theory of the new study stating that there is no relationship between artificial fertilization (the technique is not specified) and an increase in fetal mortality.
The truth is that the discrepancies between the two investigations are not explained, so we must be cautious in their interpretation.
In any case, since the in vitro fertilization technique is widespread among couples who cannot conceive naturally, it is desirable that the safety research be clearer. Thus, each couple can decide on the basis of reliable information analyzing the advantages and disadvantages of the technique.
