EpiHealth Outcomes
Research type
Research Study
Full title
EpiHealth Outcomes Project - The effect of maternal age, embryo cryopreservation and culture on perinatal outcomes and child health: Scottish Data Linkage Study
IRAS ID
131392
Contact name
Daniel R Brison
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
The University of Manchester
Research summary
Scientific evidence clearly indicates that ageing and health in adult life are programmed by genetic and epigenetic mechanisms early in life, extending as far back in development as the period of pre-implantation embryo stage. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatments, particularly In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF), alter the early environment to which the embryo is exposed, including the uterine environment.
There is a wealth of data to suggest that children born as a direct result of ART may be at increased risk of developing congenital anomalies, being of low birth weight and potentially suffering from longer-term adverse health outcomes, such as hypertension. Given the rising usage of ART over the past 20 years, we propose to investigate these risks using the world’s largest ART database; that held by the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA), containing details of all treatment cycles from August 1991 to October 2009.
The primary aim is to assess the role of parental ages, IVF treatment method, in-vitro culture and embryo cryopreservation (freezing) on neonatal health and subsequent growth in IVF-conceived babies (singletons and twins only), adjusting for known confounders. A secondary aim is to provide comparative data for conventionally-conceived babies. This will be achieved by linking a cohort of IVF data from the HFEA register to a series of routinely collected birth and child health records held by NHS Scotland.
REC name
North West - Greater Manchester Central Research Ethics Committee
REC reference
13/NW/0585
Date of REC Opinion
11 Sep 2013
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion