When IVF twins are compared to twins conceived naturally, they have a much higher rate of anencephaly. Singletons are known to have less risk of the fatal malformation anyway, but the researchers found that IVF twins were a particularly high risk group.
They followed 1154 pregnant women referred to a center specializing in fetal abnormalities. Anencephaly was found in 43 pregnancies. 78 pregnancies were twins and of these, nine were diagnosed with anencephaly. 45 of the pregnancies were conceived using assisted reproductive technology with eight having anencephaly compared to one of 33 naturally conceived babies.
That means there was a 14.8% increased chance of a couple having a baby with the brain defect after IVF.
The study authors concluded:
‘Our data suggest that twin pregnancies conceived by ART constitute a high-risk group for anencephaly, due to a possible synergistic effect of twinning and ART.’
What is Anencephaly?
Anencephaly is when part of the skull and a large part of the brain fails to develop during formation of the fetus. Due to the absence of the brain, affected babies will have abnormal facial features. They may also have heart defects. It is usually always fatal and babies are either stillborn or they die within minutes or hours of birth. Medical professionals say that babies are born deaf, blind, unconscious and unable to feel pain, although this official view often runs counter to the experiences of the parents of such children. Some parents report that their babies cry and react to light. One mother whose baby survived six days reported that her baby seemed unsettled and hungry and she was able to drink expressed breast milk.
Anencephaly occurs in one in every 10,000 pregnancies.
What Causes Anencephaly?
No one is entirely sure of the exact cause, but dietary deficiencies and environmental factors are thought to be involved. Taking medications for epilepsy at the time of conception may increase the risk, as does having IVF.
Folic acid can reduce the incidence of vitamin deficiency anencephaly by 50-70% but it does not prevent it altogether.
The important thing to remember is that the condition is nobody’s fault.
Reducing the Risk
If you are having difficulty conceiving, the latest research shows that if women are still young, 44% of them will still go on to conceive without IVF after more than a year of trying, so it may be worth waiting a bit longer before you embark on IVF if your specialist hasn’t found an obvious reason for your infertility.
If you are having IVF, you could consider single embryo transfer, which cuts down the likelihood of twins and so reduces the risk of anencephaly.
Taking a folic acid supplement before and during treatment and the first three months of pregnancy may also help.
Sources:
- Do assisted conception twins have an increased risk for anencephaly? Hum. Reprod. (2011) 26 (12): 3466-3471.
- Congenital malformations in infants born after IVF: a population-based study. Hum. Reprod. (2001) 16 (3): 504-509.
- NINDS Anencephaly Information Page, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke. Web. 5th February 2012.
- Frequently Asked Questions about Anencephaly, Anencephaly Info. Web. 5th February 2012.
- Charlotte’s Story, Prenatal Partners for Life. Web. 5th February 2012.
- Struggling for a year to get pregnant? Study reveals why you should try again, Daily Mail. Web. 5th February 2012.
Joanna Karpasea-Jones - I have been a health writer since 1997 when I published my own newsletter, SHOTS. I have written 2 books on childhood health, and write ...
