School performance and long-term outcomes of very preterm children conceived via in vitro fertilization.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the impact of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on school performance and long-term outcomes in very preterm children aged 8-16 years.

METHODS

Seventy-nine children born after IVF were compared with 79 randomly selected matched controls born after spontaneous conception (SC). Information was obtained from parents via a questionnaire administered through telephone interviews looking into school performance, including preschool education, repeated grades, extra lessons, special education needs, and learning difficulties; long-term status, including incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism; and family profile. Gross motor function was assessed against the gross motor function classification system based on information given by the subjects' families.

RESULTS

Mothers of IVF children were more likely to have a high educational level than mothers of SC children. Moreover, a greater proportion of IVF children had received preschool education than SC children. After adjusting for potential confounders, there was no difference in the school performance or long-term outcomes between IVF and SC children.

CONCLUSION

In our study, the school performance and long-term outcomes of very preterm children born after IVF and of their spontaneously conceived peers were comparable. This information can help provide guidance to families and educators.