Embryo culture media in human IVF: effects on the offspring

On average, children conceived through IVF tend to have lower birth weights compared to children conceived naturally, which can increase their risk of developing chronic diseases later in life. This study found that the birth weight of IVF children is influenced by the medium in which the embryo was cultured for several days and that this difference in weight persists for the first two years of life. This is likely caused by the embryo making permanent changes to the culture medium. To ensure the safety of IVF, it is important to develop international registries in which to document the information provided by IVF centres. This will also help researchers identify at an early stage the potential links between specific aspects of IVF and the effects on IVF children.