Development of premature IVF babies with extremely low birth weight: clinical observation (summary review)

Abstract

Nowadays, when the number of couples affected by infertility increases significantly, the issue of the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) is particularly important. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is the ART that is used most frequently due to its high positive results. Priority status initially was accorded by the researchers to quantitative indicators, and the health of children born as a result of ART was analysed extremely rarely. At the present time, all the risks of using ART are being assessed. Despite the success of the procedure, there are times when children are born prematurely. In Russia, starting from 2012 all children born after 24 weeks of gestation and weighing more than 500 grams are legally regarded as human beings and must be provided with life-saving medical care. Observations show that such children have significant health problems: the most serious damage is caused to the nervous system, respiratory organs, and visual system. The article describes cases of premature IVF babies with critically low birth weight and reviews their further development. Approaches to the management of premature IVF babies should be based on the awareness of the problems of extreme morphofunctional immaturity, individual selection of habilitation programs. Observations should be comprehensive (involving narrow specialists according to indications), which plays an important role in the subsequent development of children. If the management of such babies is arranged properly, their health status improves significantly, and physiological parameters achieve close to “normal” standards.