Jixing Zhou, Juan Tong, Xue Ru, Yuzhu Teng, Menglong Geng, Shuangqin Yan, Fangbiao Tao, Kun Huang
Placental inflammatory cytokines mRNA expression and preschool children's cognitive performance: a birth cohort study in China
BMC medicine
vitro fertilisation ivf common mode conception understanding longterm implications children important aim study determine causal effect ivf conception primary schoolage childhood developmental educational outcomes compared outcomes following spontaneous conception causal inference methods used analyse observational data way emulates target randomised clinical trial study cohort comprised statewide linked maternal childhood administrative data participants included singleton infants conceived spontaneously via ivf born victoria australia 2005 2014 schoolage developmental educational outcomes assessed exposure examined conception via ivf spontaneous conception control condition two outcome measures assessed first childhood developmental vulnerability school entry age 4 6 assessed using australian early developmental census aedc n 173200 defined scoring 10th percentile 25 developmental domains physical health wellbeing social competence emotional maturity language cognitive skills communication skills general knowledge second educational outcome age 7 9 assessed using national assessment programliteracy numeracy naplan data n 342311 defined overall zscore across 5 domains grammar punctuation reading writing spelling numeracy inverse probability weighting regression adjustment used estimate population average causal effects study included 412713 children across 2 outcome cohorts linked records available 4697 ivfconceived cases 168503 controls aedc 8976 cases 333335 controls naplan causal effect ivfconception risk developmental vulnerability schoolentry compared spontaneously conceived children aedc metrics adjusted risk difference 03 95 ci 37 31 adjusted risk ratio 097 95 ci 077 125 age 7 9 years causal effect ivfconception naplan overall zscore adjusted mean difference 0030 95 ci 0018 0077 ivf spontaneously conceived children models adjusted sex birth age assessment language background english socioeconomic status maternal age parity education study limitations included use observational data potential unmeasured confounding presence missing data necessary restriction cohort children attending school analysis given causal assumptions schoolage developmental educational outcomes children conceived ivf equivalent spontaneously conceived children findings provide important reassurance current prospective parents clinicians