School performance and long-term outcomes of very preterm children conceived via in vitro fertilization

OBJECTIVE: To assess the impact of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on school performance and long-term outcomes in very preterm children aged 8-16 years. METHODS: Seventy-nine children born after IVF were compared with 79 randomly selected matched controls born after spontaneous conception (SC). Information was obtained from parents via a questionnaire administered through telephone interviews looking into school performance, including preschool education, repeated grades, extra lessons, special education needs, and learning difficulties; long-term status, including incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism; and family profile. Gross motor function was assessed against the gross motor function classification system based on information given by the subjects' families. RESULTS: Mothers of IVF children were more likely to have a high educational level than mothers of SC children. Moreover, a greater proportion of IVF children had received preschool education than SC children. After adjusting for potential confounders, there was no difference in the school performance or long-term outcomes between IVF and SC children. CONCLUSION: In our study, the school performance and long-term outcomes of very preterm children born after IVF and of their spontaneously conceived peers were comparable. This information can help provide guidance to families and educators.