Health status of children conceived by assisted reproductive technologies: endocrinologist’s position

Abstract

Assisted reproductive technologies (ART) are currently widely used around the world because of the increased prevalence of infertility (presently, about 15% of married couples suffer from infertility), as well as the increased access to treatment and public funding for this method. Hence, the number of children conceived by ART is steadily increasing every year. This review focuses on the pressing problem of the health status of children conceived by assisted reproductive technologies (ART) by analyzing modern publications on the state of physical, gonadal and psychosomatic development, features of the endocrine system and cardiometabolic diseases, the risk of imprinting changes, congenital malformations and oncological disorders. The data presented that there is no increased risk of childhood cancer or deterioration in quality of life. However, it is expected that the cardiovascular and metabolic risk factors found in childhood can worsen in later life and may ultimately be responsible for chronic cardiometabolic disease. Furthermore, the issue of fertility, especially in the male population conceived by ART, remains open, thus requiring additional longer-term research.