Epigenetics and Assisted Reproductive Technology

Since the birth of the first baby via in vitro fertilization (IVF) in 1978, there has been concern about the safety of IVF and other assisted reproduction technology (ART) procedures for the health of ART-conceived children. Data show that ART singletons are at increased risk for adverse perinatal outcomes such as low birthweight and being small for gestational age, and congenital malformations [1]. The biological mechanism behind these risks is mainly unresolved. Since the publication of a few case reports on the incidence of rare imprinting disorders such as Angelman and Beckwith–Wiedemann syndromes in ART-conceived children, epigenetic deregulation has gained increasing attention as a possible common cause for the adverse outcomes. This led to an expansion of ART literature on epigenetic effects. In this chapter, I focus on the current knowledge of epigenetic disturbances in humans, reported after ART in general and in relation to specific ART components, and the difficulties encountered in these kinds of studies. When needed, animal studies will also be mentioned. The subfertility of the population as a possible cause for the epigenetic deregulation is also taken into consideration. Finally, I discuss whether epigenetic effects can be related to the reported health outcome in ART children and if these possible derangements can affect their health at adult age.