Asthma in Children Born After Infertility Treatment: findings from the Uk Millennium Cohort Study

Hum. Reprod. Advance Access published December 5, 2012
Human Reproduction, Vol.0, No.0 pp. 1– 9, 2012 doi:10.1093/humrep/des398

ORIGINAL ARTICLE Reproductive epidemiology

Asthma in children born after infertility treatment: findings from the UK Millennium Cohort Study
C. Carson 1,*, A. Sacker 2, Y. Kelly 2, M. Redshaw 1, J.J. Kurinczuk 1, and M.A. Quigley 1
1

National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Oxford OX3 7LF, UK 2Institute for Social and Economic Research, University of Essex, Colchester CO4 3SQ, UK *Correspondence address. [e-mail]

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Submitted on October 24, 2011; resubmitted on October 10, 2012; accepted on October 19, 2012

study question: Is asthma more common in children born after subfertility and assisted reproduction technologies (ART)? summary answer: Yes. Asthma, wheezing in the last year and anti-asthmatic medication were all more common in children born after a prolonged time to conception (TTC). This was driven specifically by an increase in children born after ART.

what is known already: Few studies have investigated any association between ART and asthma in subsequent children, and findings to date have been mixed. A large registry-based study found an increase in asthma medication in ART children but suggests underlying infertility is the putative risk factor. Little is known about asthma in children after unplanned or mistimed conceptions.

study design, size, duration: The Millennium Cohort Study is a UK-wide, prospective study of 18 818 children recruited at 9 months of age. Follow-up is ongoing. This study analyses data from follow-up surveys at 5 and 7 years of age (response rates of 79 and 70%, respectively). participants/materials, setting, methods: Singleton children whose natural mothers provided follow-up data were included. Mothers reported whether their pregnancy was planned; planners provided

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