NYCU Study Links IVF Births to Higher Risk of Congenital Heart Disease in Children

(中央社訊息服務20260519 16:57:46)As assisted reproductive technologies become increasingly common worldwide, a new study from National Yang Ming Chiao Tung University (NYCU) suggests that children conceived through in vitro fertilization (IVF) may face a higher risk of congenital heart disease compared with those conceived naturally, with multiple gestations emerging as a key contributing factor.

The findings, published in Human Reproduction under the title “Fertility status and risk of pediatric cardiovascular diseases: a population-based nested case-control study,” provide large-scale population evidence that could help inform reproductive medicine practices and future public health policies.

The study was led by Professor Li-Yin Chien of NYCU’s Institute of Community Health Care, College of Nursing, in collaboration with public health researchers across Taiwan. Using Taiwan’s national health databases from 2004 to 2017, the research team analyzed more than 1.8 million parent-child pairs. Children were categorized based on their parents’ fertility status into three groups: natural conception, subfertility, and IVF conception. Researchers then tracked cardiovascular disease outcomes among children from birth to age 13.

The results showed that children conceived through IVF, as well as those born to parents with subfertility, had a significantly higher risk of congenital heart disease than naturally conceived children. The findings suggest that underlying fertility-related factors themselves may also influence long-term health outcomes in offspring. By contrast, the study did not observe significant differences in the incidence of other pediatric cardiovascular diseases between the fertility groups.

Researchers further identified multiple gestations as a major mechanism underlying the increased risk. According to the study, more than half of the association between IVF conception and congenital heart disease could be explained by multiple gestations. The findings point to the possible indirect impact of multiple embryo transfer strategies, which are still commonly used in assisted reproductive treatments.

Based on these results, the research team supports single embryo transfer as a safer reproductive strategy to reduce potential health risks in newborns. The researchers also recommend fetal echocardiography screening for women carrying multiple gestations to enable earlier detection and intervention for congenital heart abnormalities.

Professor Chien noted that as assisted reproductive technologies continue to expand globally, the proportion of babies born through IVF is steadily increasing. She said the study’s nationwide analysis offers important evidence to help healthcare professionals and families make more comprehensive assessments during reproductive planning and prenatal care.

At the same time, she emphasized that although the relative risk was higher, the overall incidence of congenital heart disease remains relatively low, and parents should not be overly alarmed. The research team plans to continue long-term follow-up studies to better understand whether IVF conception may also influence cardiovascular health later in adulthood.