Does IVF affect health?
IVF refers to the method of combining sperm and egg in the laboratory through artificial pregnancy, and then implanting the fertilized egg into the mother's uterus to achieve pregnancy and fertility. Although this technology provides the possibility for couples who cannot conceive naturally, there has always been controversy about whether IVF has an impact on health. This article will discuss from four aspects: physical development, genetic diseases, mental health and long-term impact.
Physical development
There may be some physical differences between IVF and naturally conceived children. First, the baby's birth weight may be low, which may be related to the unsuitable growth conditions in the laboratory environment. Second, IVF babies may face breathing problems in the first few days of life, although in most cases this is temporary. In addition, some studies have shown that IVF may be more likely to suffer from chronic diseases such as hypertension and diabetes in adulthood. However, these findings are not sufficient and may be related to other factors, so more research is needed to determine the true situation of IVF physical development.
However, we cannot ignore that the physical development of IVF in infancy and childhood is not significantly different from that of naturally conceived children. They can grow up healthily with the care of doctors and families.
Genetic disease
Compared with naturally conceived children, IVF may have a higher risk of genetic diseases. Because IVF is carried out in the laboratory, doctors may not be able to completely screen out all possible genetic defects when selecting fertilized eggs. Therefore, IVF may be more likely to suffer from genetic diseases than naturally conceived children. In order to reduce this risk, doctors usually carry out genetic testing on the fertilized eggs and select the fertilized eggs without genetic diseases for implantation. Nevertheless, the risk of genetic diseases cannot be completely excluded.
However, we should clearly realize that even naturally conceived children may suffer from genetic diseases. IVF can reduce the occurrence rate of some genetic diseases only by screening the fertilized eggs in advance, which does not mean that IVF itself has a high risk of genetic diseases.
mental health
IVF babies may face mental health challenges. On the one hand, for those couples who have carried out IVF due to years of infertility, they may face enormous psychological pressure. They may experience mental health problems such as mood swings, anxiety and depression. On the other hand, IVF babies may face identity problems, and they may have doubts or confusion about their own reproductive methods during their growth. Therefore, they may need additional psychological support and counseling.
However, we cannot assume that the mental health of IVF is worse than that of naturally conceived children. Whether IVF or naturally conceived children, their mental health depends on many factors, such as family support and educational environment.
Long term impact
The long-term effects of IVF need more long-term studies to determine. At present, some studies have shown that IVF may be more likely to suffer from cardiovascular diseases and metabolic diseases in adulthood. However, these findings are not clear enough and may be related to other factors.
In conclusion, although IVF may have some effects on physical health, such as physical development, genetic diseases, mental health and long-term effects. But we can't ignore that IVF technology provides the possibility for couples who cannot conceive naturally. At the same time, the physical development, mental health and other problems of IVF can also be solved through family care and active medical support. Most importantly, the birth of IVF proves the progress of modern medical technology and brings good news to many couples.
