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Infants conceived as a result of infertility treatments are two to four times more likely to have certain types of birth defects than children conceived naturally, according to one of the nation's largest studies on the issue.
The defects, which frequently can be surgically treated, range from heart anomalies to cleft lips to gastrointestinal disorders.
"None of these are lethal," said Dr. Jennita Reefhuis, an epidemiologist with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and one of the study's authors. "The individual risk of birth defects is still very small. But it is very important for couples who are considering artificial reproductive technology to have full disclosure."
More and more couples unable to conceive naturally have turned to assisted reproductive technology in recent years; according to one study, nearly 12 percent of women in the United States have undergone infertility procedures.
About 1 percent of all births in the United States now occur as a result of infertility treatment - that represents a doubling since 1996. More than 134,000 such procedures were performed in 2005 in the United States...
The defects, which frequently can be surgically treated, range from heart anomalies to cleft lips to gastrointestinal disorders.
"None of these are lethal," said Dr. Jennita Reefhuis, an epidemiologist with the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and one of the study's authors. "The individual risk of birth defects is still very small. But it is very important for couples who are considering artificial reproductive technology to have full disclosure."
More and more couples unable to conceive naturally have turned to assisted reproductive technology in recent years; according to one study, nearly 12 percent of women in the United States have undergone infertility procedures.
About 1 percent of all births in the United States now occur as a result of infertility treatment - that represents a doubling since 1996. More than 134,000 such procedures were performed in 2005 in the United States...
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