Children born after intensive IVF ‘risk more heart disease’

SCIENTISTS have warned of the risks of intensive IVF treatment as research suggests it increases the risk of heart disease in children.

The “high stimulation” method, where powerful drugs are used to stimulate egg production, is a commonly used practice in British fertility clinics.

But experts claim there is growing evidence the treatment can result in offspring with higher blood pressure and thicker arteries than normal, leading to an increased risk of heart attacks and strokes as adults.

The warnings will be presented this week at the International Society for Milder Approaches to Assisted Reproduction conference in London.

The study compared 65 Swiss preschool children born from fertility treatment to 57 who were conceived naturally. It found that those in the former group tended to have “generalised vascular dysfunction”.

A second study analysing all UK births following fertility treatment showed slightly poorer health outcomes in offspring where more than 18 eggs were retrieved at once.