Assisted reproduction (AR) is becoming more widespread, with frequency increasing since the introduction of the methodology in the early 1980s, varying between 2% and 8% of births depending on the country. According to a comprehensive study by the International Monitoring Committee on Assisted Reproductive Technologies, between 9.8 and 13 million babies worldwide were born via AR between 1978 and 2018, and over 150 million children, or 1.4% of the world's population, will be "assisted" conceived by the end of the century. Observations based on the growing number of women who resorted (with or without success) to this method, on the one hand, and, on the other, on the increasing number of births through AR, allow us to draw sufficiently eloquent conclusions about its safety. Data show that AR is associated with an increased incidence of cardiovascular events in mothers and newborns, which places this group of patients in a category with increased risk of long-term incidents and peripartum complications.
The presented review provides a relatively in-depth summary of many of the currently conducted follow-up studies of women undergoing AR methods and children born after successful conception. The most common problems are indicated, as well as the possible pathogenetic mechanisms for them.
Infertility incidence is increasing due to socio-economic and environmental factors in modern society. AR may be the only option for many couples to fulfill their dream of having a child. It is important in these circumstances to be clear about the positive aspects and the risks, so that as a result of advances in medicine, the latter can be minimized.
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