Details

Autor(en) / Beteiligte

• Bokor, Sz
• Vass, RA
• Funke, S
• Ertl, T
• Molnár, D

Titel

Early Life Outcomes of Assisted Reproduction Technologies and the Underlying Epigenetic Changes

Ist Teil von

• Annals of nutrition and metabolism, 2022-11, Vol.78 (5), p.289

Ort / Verlag

Basel: S. Karger AG

Erscheinungsjahr

2022

Link zum Volltext

Quelle

Alma/SFX Local Collection

Beschreibungen/Notizen

• Introduction: Assisted reproduction technologies (ART) are increasing worldwide (9 million babies have been born with the help of ART since the first successful case in 1978) and its possible health consequences are a topic of intense study. The aim of the present study was to summarise the available literature data on the early life outcomes of ART and the possible underlying epigenetic changes. Methods: An electronic literature search was performed in English on PubMed database and via the Google utility in May 2021. The search was based on the combinations of key terms: ART, in vitro fertilisation, growth, development, obesity, body composition, metabolic, imprinting disorders, birth defects, foetus, postnatal, infants, children, epigenetic, DNA methylation. Results: ART involve multiple exposures that occur at critical times of development, coincidence with global reprogramming of the epigenome and the establishment of epigenetic changes. Therefore, multiple studies have focused on the association between ART and candidate gene regions and/or global methylation levels, and support that ART is linked to epigenetic changes including alterations in DNA methylation of imprinted genes and genes related to growth, development, and body composition of the foetus and in the postnatal period, however, the results are still conflicting. Growing evidence in the current literature suggest that children conceived through ART are at increased risk for a number of perinatal complications, birth defects (OR: 1.32 [1.24-1.42]), alterations in body composition and rare imprinting disorders (OR: 3.67 [1.39-9.74]). Parental characteristics, underlying infertility etiology and ART procedures themselves may contribute to this. Conclusion: The perinatal outcomes in children born after ART have improved over the time, still many concerns remain over the health and development of ART children, thus large scale, well-controlled studies are necessary.