Outcome and follow-up of children born after IVF-surrogacy.

This study addresses various outcomes and follow-up of children born after IVF-surrogacy. Recent reports on perinatal outcome after IVF-surrogacy and on data generated by the Society of Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) Registry between 1991 and 1995 were examined. A review of recently published perinatal outcomes of children born after IVF-surrogacy, including the developmental information of 110 children after the first 2 years of life, was undertaken. The birth weights for singleton pregnancies following IVF-surrogacy and IVF were similar, whereas the birth weights of twins and triplets born from the IVF-surrogates were significantly heavier than those delivered from conventional IVF patients. Preterm delivery was increased in twin and triplet gestations in all segments analysed. The incidence of low birth weight was significantly lower in children born after IVF surrogacy than in those born after IVF, for all births recorded. The incidence of congenital abnormalities following IVF and IVF-surrogacy was within the expected range for spontaneous conceptions. Speech delays were predominant in the multiple births, but neither speech nor motor delays persisted at 2 years of age in children born after IVF-surrogacy. These findings would imply that a gestational carrier would provide potential environmental benefits for the infant.