International Federation of Gynecology and Obstetrics

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) babies are almost twice as likely to suffer birth defects compared with children conceived naturally, a new study has revealed.

Test-tube babies have a higher risk of being born with heart problems and malformed reproductive systems, the research, which examined more than 15,000 births in France from 2003 to 2007, has found.

The scientists who carried out the study have called on fertility clinics to inform prospective parents of the dangers involved in IVF treatment.

Some 4.24 per cent of children conceived through IVF has some sort of congenital deformity, which is much higher than the norm of between two and three per cent.

Dr Geraldine Viot, the study author, said: "This higher rate was due in part to an excess of heart diseases and malformations of the uro-genital system."

This affected more boys than girls. Whereas researchers discovered that among the minor malformations, they "found a five times higher rate of angioma, benign tumours made up of small blood vessels on or near the surface of the skin".

Girls were twice as likely to be affected by this than boys, the study revealed.

New research from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority in the UK shows that around one in six couples, the equivalent of 3.5 million people, will experience some form of fertility problems at some stage in their lives.

Posted by Alexandra George