Background/Objectives: Since the first successful birth following assisted reproductive technologies (ART) several decades ago, the global population of ART-conceived children has surpassed 13 million, with over 40,000 born in Kazakhstan. Despite this growth, questions remain about their long-term neurological outcomes, with existing studies reporting inconsistent findings. This study aimed to assess psychomotor development and the prevalence of nervous system pathologies among ART-conceived children in Kazakhstan and to develop a prognostic model for identifying pathological neurodevelopmental conditions. Methods: We studied 252 children (120 conceived via ART and 132 controls) using clinical examination and medical history data. Brain immaturity predictors were identified by univariate and multivariate logistic regression. Results: ART-conceived children exhibited a higher incidence of neurosonographic signs of brain structure immaturity. However, multivariate analysis indicated that ART itself was not an independent risk factor. Instead, perinatal complications—including prematurity, multiple pregnancy, low birth weight, asphyxia, and intrauterine infections—explained the observed differences. The prognostic model highlighted prematurity and preconceptional progesterone therapy as significant predictors. Overall neurological development did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusions: These findings underscore the importance of early identification of perinatal risk factors and targeted preventive interventions to mitigate adverse neurodevelopmental outcomes in ART-conceived children.

Objective: The increasing use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) has led to a growing interest in the health outcomes of offspring. However, the impact of ART on the immune system of children remains poorly understood. While only two publications were found, their findings contradict each other and did not consider other risk factors in their analysis except for ART use. Therefore, this study aimed to examine the potential impact of ART on the immune system of offspring.Methods: A case-control study was conducted in Kazakhstan to investigate the immune system of ART-conceived children compared to those conceived naturally (NC). The study included participants who met certain criteria, such as having undergone a successful ART program resulting in the birth of either a single or multiple pregnancies. Patients who used donor oocytes/sperm, intrauterine insemination, or surrogacy were excluded. Anamnesis data were collected from children in both groups, and laboratory measurements were performed and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistic 26.Results: A total of 120 children conceived by ART and 132 NC children under the age of five were included in our study. We observed that compared with NC group, ART children had lower IgA and IgG levels (p < 0.001), absolute lymphocytosis, high levels of active T-lymphocytes (p = 0.001), and pathological T-helper levels (p = 0.004). Therefore, the clinical presentation of respiratory diseases was lower in ART group. Children born after frozen embryo transfers showed significantly higher levels of T-cytotoxic and active T-lymphocytes compared to children born after fresh embryo transfers (p = 0.007 and p = 0.020, respectively). We utilized ordinal logistic regression to control for confounding variables such as multiple pregnancy, cesarean section, premature birth, and breastfeeding. Despite this, the significant impact of ART on immunogram parameters persisted, indicating the independent and influential nature of ART or other unaccounted factors.

Introduction: Reproductive technologies are used more widely today than ever before. This increase in the use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) is directly related to sociodemographic conditions that result in delayed childbirth among age groups with lower fertility. Infertility affects 17% of married couples, and in some countries 6% of children are born with in vitro fertilization (IVF). In this context, the aspect of the influence of reproductive technologies on hormonal indicators of offspring in relation to anthropometric data remains insufficiently examined. The purpose of this cohort study is to compare the hormonal panel and anthropometric data of ART-conceived children with the corresponding data of children conceived naturally. Methodology: Biochemical tests are used to determine the amount of free triiodothyronine (T3) and total thyroxine (T4), somatotropin, insulin, insulin-like growth factor, glucose, potassium, and sodium cations in blood samples from the experimental and control groups. Results: The results indicate that the use of assisted reproductive technologies neither altered the endocrine panel of the thyroid gland, nor affected other biochemical parameters. Variations in technologies – classical IVF, fresh or frozen embryo transfer, intracytoplasmic sperm injection – also did not affect the quantitative value of the above indicators. Artificial insemination also had no effect on puberty (in both boys and girls). Children born naturally had a greater body weight (3,453 vs 3,160 g, p < 0.001) and height (53 vs 51 cm, p = 0.002). ART children had significantly higher median free T3 levels (3.65 vs 3.48 mU/L, p = 0.002) and potassium levels (4.8 vs 4.7 mmol/L, p = 0.013), although within the reference ranges. Glucose levels were also higher in ART children (median 4.45 vs 4.29 mg/dl, p = 0.01). Conclusion: Several relationships between biochemical and anthropometric indicators were identified: the correlation between body weight and blood levels of insulin-like growth factor was statistically significant, positive, and weak. The T3 level in the experimental group was found to be statistically significant and directly proportional to body height, and insulin content was inversely proportional to body weight. The data obtained make it possible to verify the safety of using a different range of reproductive technologies.

Background: 12 million children are born worldwide after assisted reproductive technologies (ART), but their health remains a significant area of research. Evidence suggests that neonatal hypoglycemia is more common among children conceived through ART. Our study aims to identify risk factors for neonatal hypoglycemia and the possibility of predicting it in ART-conceived children. Methods: In our study, 120 children born after ART were involved. The participants met specific criteria, including being born from a successful ART program resulting in single or multiple pregnancies. Those born using donor oocytes/sperm, intrauterine insemination, or surrogacy were not included. Data for the anamnesis were gathered and analyzed using IBM SPSS Statistics 26. Results: ART-conceived children were at greater risk of being born with neonatal hypoglycemia in cases of multiple pregnancies (OR=14.2; 95% CI: 1.71-117.67), isthmic-cervical insufficiency (OR=10.29; 95% CI: 1.47-71.98), premature birth (OR=13.39; 95% CI: 2.61-68.84), and uterine infertility (OR=10.29; 95% CI: 1.47-71.98). ART children had a higher incidence of neonatal hypoglycemia when they were late preterm (OR=16.95; 95% CI: 3.26-88), with fetal growth restriction (OR=13.38; 95% CI: 2.42-73.8), infantile asphyxia (OR=45; 95% CI: 7.86-257.64), congenital pneumonia (OR=16.96; 95% CI: 3.45-83.3), congenital infection (OR=18; 95% CI: 2.98-108.8), respiratory distress syndrome (OR=16.09; 95% CI: 3.6-72.03), and low or very low birth weight. A regression model that exhibited statistical significance encompassed late prematurity, neonatal asphyxia, congenital infection, and maternal hormone intake before pregnancy. Conclusions: Our study on ART-conceived children highlighted significant risk factors for neonatal hypoglycemia Our developed prognostic model enables early intervention and preventive measures. These findings are valuable for healthcare providers working with ART-conceived children and can improve their care. Trial registration: The protocol was registered on ClinicalTrials.gov (NCT01369355). Date of registration: October 18, 2023; date of enrollment of the first subject: October 23, 2023

Актуальность: Широкое применение метода интрацитоплазматической инъекции сперматозоида (ИКСИ) в рамках вспомогательных репродуктивных технологий (ВРТ) требует комплексной оценки его влияния на здоровье детей. Несмотря на существующие исследования, данные о состоянии потомства после ИКСИ остаются противоречивыми. Цель исследования – систематизация современных данных о здоровье детей, рожденных в результате применения ИКСИ, для выявления потенциальных особенностей их общесоматического, физического и полового развития, а также оценки рисков нарушений со стороны эндокринной системы и врожденных пороков. Материалы и методы: Нами был проведен поиск в базах данных (Medline, Scopus, Web of Science и др.) с использованием ключевых терминов. Рассмотрены исследования на английском и русском языках, соответствующие критериям включения. Результаты: За 30 лет применения метода ИКСИ накоплены данные о нормальном физическом и когнитивном развитии детей. Однако выявлены потенциальные риски: метаболические нарушения (ожирение, инсулинорезистентность), изменения репродуктивных показателей (уровни ФСГ, ингибина В) и повышенная частота урогенитальных аномалий. Кроме того, имелись отличия в общем количестве сперматозоидов, их подвижности и морфологии. Проведенный обзор позволяет заключить, что существующие работы не в полной мере исследуют связь между этиологией отцовского бесплодия и состоянием здоровья потомства после ИКСИ. Данный пробел в знаниях затрудняет оценку рисков наследования репродуктивных патологий. Заключение: Требуются дальнейшие исследования для понимания долгосрочных последствий ИКСИ, особенно в отношении репродуктивного и эндокринного здоровья потомства.