# link between ivf & Autism/disabilities



## agate (Nov 14, 2008)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2354158/Low-IQ-autism-risk-fertility-treatment-men-poor-sperm.html

/links


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## Tommi (Jun 22, 2011)

Interesting, Agate, thanks! Shame the research doesn't distinguish between ICSI for poor sperm and ICSI with donor sperm. 
Txx


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## kazza236 (Feb 21, 2013)

This is interesting and I think it's something that was mentioned on my consent forms. However, from what I have read, it seems that the worse the sperm issue is the higher the chance. Something I would like to know about this is would the results differ with PGD or is it just because they are choosing the sperm opposed to allowing nature to do it's bit


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## Mistletoe (Holly) (Jan 1, 2007)

I had ICSI with donor sperm for the simple fact that it was frozen.

I can see a risk if there is a toxic or genetic reason for poor sperm count or motility.


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## Vix1414 (Nov 18, 2012)

Has anyone discussed this at the fertility clinic? If so what info were you given & what are your thoughts? Thanks x


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## coweyes (Sep 4, 2008)

No nothing much has ever been discuessed with me regarding this.  I think the link is with icsi and Autism. x


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## staceysm (Nov 18, 2010)

Hi,

I have never heard this.

Strangely enough, I know about ten children who have autism and not one of them was conceived by Fertility treatment.

That's enough evidence for me to be happy with the decision I made to have IVF/ICSI.

Good luck

X


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## sarahsuperdork (Mar 12, 2013)

I have heard of this, but never discussed it with my clinic. I think the theory is mainly around ICSI as the sperm isn't good enough a quality to fertilise by itself so some think that if inferior sperm are 'made' to fertilise eggs, the embryo is more likely to have disabilities develop. It sounds logical enough but that's all it is - a theory - so I wouldn't place too much emphasis on it. There are studies that show a link, but that's all, there's no true cause and effect. There's a lot of correlation research out there that worries people but none of it can statistically prove that one thing causes another, in this case that ICSI/IVF causes disabilities. Us IF ladies have enough on our plate without them making us question our decision to have treatment!


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## Me Myself and I (Dec 30, 2012)

sarahsuperdork said:


> I have heard of this, but never discussed it with my clinic. I think the theory is mainly around ICSI as the sperm isn't good enough a quality to fertilise by itself so some think that if inferior sperm are 'made' to fertilise eggs, the embryo is more likely to have disabilities develop. It sounds logical enough but that's all it is - a theory - so I wouldn't place too much emphasis on it. There are studies that show a link, but that's all, there's no true cause and effect. There's a lot of correlation research out there that worries people but none of it can statistically prove that one thing causes another, in this case that ICSI/IVF causes disabilities. Us IF ladies have enough on our plate without them making us question our decision to have treatment!


I think that everyone makes as much of an informed choice as they can.

This is what the experts involved in the study say:
"When we looked at IVF treatments combined, we found there was no overall increased risk for autism, but a small increased risk of intellectual disability," said Sven Sandin of King's College London's Institute of Psychiatry, who co-led the study.

"When we separated the different IVF treatments, we found traditional IVF is safe, but that IVF involving ICSI, which is specifically recommended for paternal infertility, is associated with an increased risk of both intellectual disability and autism in children," he told a briefing in London.

The study, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), found that children born after IVF treatments with ICSI had a 0.093 percent risk of intellectual disability, compared with a base risk of 0.062 percent.

Children born after IVF with ICSI using fresh embryos and surgically extracted sperm - rather than sperm ejaculated naturally - had the higher risk of autism.

Pacey said doctors and patients should consider preferentially using standard IVF rather than ICSI wherever possible, and also using ejaculated sperm rather than sperm recovered surgically from the testicles.


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## coweyes (Sep 4, 2008)

I work with adults with learning disabilities and have been on several autism training sessions.  The trainer always talks about the link with fertility treatment and autism.  My understanding is that icis is the treatment where there is most concern and i believe this is due to the fact that its meant to overcover male issues.  Because of this there potentially using sperm that otherwise would struggle to fertilize an egg.  Yes they find the best sperm but there still pushing it into the egg and kind of forcing it to become an embryo.  Also im guessing that a lot of the sperm are certistically from older men, im guessing that this also contributes towards the certistics that say fertility treatment causes autism.


Realistically i'm not surprised, we have got to remember that becoming pregnant this way is not the natural way and therefore is bound to come with extra risks.  Saying that people who get pregnant naturally end up having children with Ld and autism.  There are so many reasons why autism appears and lets be honest no one really knows (thats even said on the training course).  Fertility treatmetn is just one other theory among many others.


Personally i do believe there is a higher risk, how can there not be? but i think the risk is slight.  I had icsi pgd to have my daughter, so even more advanced technology.  I would think the risks are probably even higher considering what they have to do, but i was never concerned through my pregnancy, even now as i look into her cot i don't see anything to be concerned about, i just see a normal little baby girl.  


Good luck. x


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## Bright-Side (Sep 25, 2012)

Hello,

DH and I are on our second round of ICSI.  I read an article online from 3rd July this year, which has got me really worried finding a link between ICSI and autism.

More than this, it also stated that the risks were even greater in those where the male had to have surgery to retrieve sperm.

We had to have SSR and I also have a brother with aspergers syndrome, and a cousin, and so this was already a concern for me.

Has anyone looked into this in more detail or had discussions with their clinics about it?

Thanks


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## Cordelia (Mar 7, 2005)

Brightside - I was told that with ICSI because of the procedure of injecting the eggs, there is a slightly higher risk of defects but that it is such a slight risk it is not something to worry too much about. 

I was not told anything about SSR.  My hubby carries the CF gene so we had to have SSR due to obstructive azoospermia so would be interested to know if this is correct.

Cordelia xx


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## Sheilaweb (Mar 21, 2006)

Everything in life carries a risk, we went through icsi as my hubby had a zero sperm count, so ivf was out of the question for us, we knew that we had an increased risk of birth defects and abnormalities not just through fertility treatment, but my age as well.... but the risk was never ever going to be big enough for us NOT to go through with the treatment...the increase was marginal compared to a naturally conceived child.  We would welcome any child we would be blessed with - whatever future we faced as a family, we'd face it together, whatever, our child was longed for and loved and would be cherished and as for quality of life, our child would be loved and have support, encouragement, stability and be nurtured whether he or she was special or extra special.


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## Sheilaweb (Mar 21, 2006)

Cordelia - my hubby is NOA and because our nhs clinic refused SSR we were simply added to the sperm donor waiting list - BUT by the time we got to EC, and hubby had been on multivitamins - he had a million swimmers, and his sperm was used during our icsi.... we were told our extra risks were minimal - I was more at risk because of my advanced years (39 then) - but our little miracle has hit all her development milestones....


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