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The first IVF generation are in their 30s, and they're thriving
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By Rachel McDonald, the Australian Science Media Centre
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Children born via assisted reproduction technology (ART) such as IVF may be more likely to have a good life, according to an Australian study released this week.
The research team have been able to follow up with some of Victoria's earlier IVF and gamete intrafallopian transfer babies who were born in the 1980s and are now fully-fledged adults. Through two questionnaires about their quality of life at age 18-28 and then at age 22-35, the researchers compared 193 of this group with 86 people naturally conceived during that same time period and found the assisted reproduction group.
They say the ART group appeared to have a higher quality of life when it came to psychological factors, social relationships and environmental factors.
The news that there appear to be no negative psychological side-effects of ART is welcome, University of Melbourne's Associate Professor Alex Polyakov told the AusSMC.
"While the physical wellbeing of IVF-conceived people is well studied, psychological aspects of their lives is an unexplored area that deserves further attention," A/Prof Polyakov said.
"The study utilised established and validated questionnaire instruments to assess the psychological health, well being and general fulfilment of people conceived via IVF, and to compare their responses to individuals who were naturally conceived."
"Overall, based on the currently available evidence of long term follow up of IVF-conceived individuals, it can be concluded that their physical and psychological health is comparable to their naturally conceived peers, and there appears to be no long-term impact on their overall well being that persists into adulthood."
While multiple researchers told the AusSMC this week the study added to strong evidence that ART has no negative impact on quality of life, the study also suggests it may have a positive impact.
Associate Professor Peter Illingworth, Medical Director of IVF Australia, said the study was not enough to be certain this is the case.
"The report indeed suggests advantages in quality of life through being IVF conceived. However, this conclusion should be treated with caution. The number of participants in this study is small for such a complex topic and further studies are needed before such an effect can be confirmed," A/Prof Illingworth said.
If ART children really do have a higher chance of a good life, it is likely factors outside the nature of their birth are the cause, according to counsellor Amanda Lambros.
"The choice of ART is not one entered into lightly. There are significant costs associated with ART. essentially, the parents had money and a want to become parents," Ms Lambros said.
A/Prof Polyakov agreed the results were likely influenced by the nature of parents who use ART, though he noted the study does adjust for some factors like socio-economic status and the age of the mother at birth that could influence the outcome.
"It is probably some variation in either baseline characteristics of the parents or their parenting style, that is specific to families that underwent IVF, that produced happier and better-adjusted offspring. It is probable that the agony of infertility and the struggle to conceive is the driving factor that altered parental behaviour, once the dream of having a child was realised," he said.
You can read the full Expert Reaction here.
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This article originally appeared in Science Deadline, a weekly newsletter from the AusSMC. You are free to republish this story, in full, with appropriate credit.
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"This is madness. Addiction to fossil fuels is mutually assured destruction."
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UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres addressing countries turning to fossil fuels to replace Russian resources due to the war in Ukraine.
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Astronomers reveal best image yet of mysterious ORCs in space (Monthly Notices of the Royal Astronomical Society)
We now have the clearest image of the latest mysterious object in our known universe, odd radio circles (or ORCs). ORCs are so faint, rare and far away, that it takes the world's most advanced radio telescopes to find and describe them. First discovered by CSIRO's ASKAP radio telescope in Western Australia, the MeerKAT radio telescope in South Africa is now peering deep inside the heart of the ORCs. Research from: Australia; International; WA.
Example coverage: Astronomers reveal clearest image yet of mysterious 'odd radio circle' with a highly active black hole at its centre | Daily Mail
A communication device that could help people living with motor neuron disease (Nature Communications)
An international team has developed a brain-computer interface device that may make it possible for patients in a completely locked-in state, such as those living with motor neuron disease, to communicate. The team's device listens to the patient's brainwaves, and by controlling these brainwaves the patient can indicate a no or yes answer to questions, as well as select letters to form words or phrases for communication. The team say this device could allow patients who are currently unable to communicate, to regain this ability. Research from: International.
Example coverage: Computer communication for motor neuron disease patients | Cosmos
Bushfires may be a bigger global socioeconomic risk in the coming decades (Nature Communications)
The social and economic risks from bushfires are expected to increase globally over the twenty-first century but there may be smaller increases in global fire carbon emissions, according to international research. The study found that historically bushfire-prone forests and savannahs, such as those in northern Australia, may remain fire-prone in the twenty-first century. The elevated global socioeconomic risks were largely due to a combination of enhanced future fire activity and socioeconomic development in western and central African countries. Research from: Australia; International.
Example coverage: Wildfires will pose great socioeconomic risk in future, say researchers | The Guardian
Research facilities contribute most to Astronomy’s carbon footprint (Nature Astronomy)
Space- and ground-based research facilities are the largest contributors to the carbon footprint of astronomical research according to international researchers, who say the annual greenhouse gas emissions are equivalent to at least 1.2 million tonnes of CO2 per year. The team estimated greenhouse gas emissions for nearly 50 space-based missions and 40 ground-based telescope facilities, based on construction materials, operating costs, electricity usage for space or satellite missions, and launch mass. They say space-based missions are responsible for at least a third of total emissions and facilities such as the James Webb Space Telescope and the Square Kilometer Array will each be responsible for the equivalent of at least 300,000 tonnes of CO2. According to the report the average Australian astronomer uses as much as 37 tonnes of CO2 per year, with super-computing accounting for 22 of those 37 tonnes of CO2. Research from: Australia; International.
Example coverage: Global carbon footprint of space missions rivals that of some countries, study finds | The Independent
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This week, we joined ABC RN Drive to talk about how happy the world is and what makes a boring person, and on Sunday we'll be joining ABC Nightlife to talk junk DNA and fear.
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