Due to the first population decline in China and its rapid aging, government officials in China have proposed that single and unmarried women should have access to services such as egg freezing and in vitro fertilization (IVF). Various local governments in China have also followed suit, with Chengdu in Sichuan Province announcing the legalization of child registration for unmarried women. This means that unmarried women can take paid maternity leave and receive child subsidies previously only available to married couples. According to a report by the Beijing Business Daily, as of July 1st, 16 therapeutic assisted reproductive technology procedures, including ovulation induction tests and sperm selection, will be included in Beijing’s basic medical insurance reimbursement scope. Children born through IVF will also be eligible for medical insurance benefits. It is reported that the cost of IVF treatment per cycle is expensive, ranging from 40,000 to 60,000 yuan.

According to expert estimates, there are currently 539 public and private IVF institutions in China, providing approximately one million cycles of IVF treatment each year, compared to 1.5 million in other parts of the world. By 2025, the number of these institutions is expected to increase to 600. It can be predicted that with the continued growth of IVF institutions, the number of children born through artificial insemination in China in the next decade will reach tens of millions. This technology allows for the selection of the highest quality sperm and eggs, which has eugenic implications. However, many infertile couples are concerned that babies born through IVF may be “mentally or physically weak” or “abnormal.”

So, are there health risks associated with test-tube babies? Do they differ from naturally conceived babies in terms of birth defects and later cognitive development?

A research report from the French National Academy of Medicine, titled “Mid-term and Long-term Health of Children Conceived by In Vitro Fertilization (IVF),” was published recently. One of the authors of the report, Professor Pierre Jouannet, stated in an interview with Le Monde that the first IVF baby, Louise Brown, was born in the UK on July 25, 1978. Forty-five years later, more than 8 million people worldwide have been conceived through this method, and people are still asking the question: What is the health status of children conceived through IVF?

Professor Jouannet pointed out that while more than 1,500 articles on the mid-term and long-term health of these children have been published in scientific journals worldwide, there is still a long way to go to fully understand the health of test-tube babies because the oldest among them are only 45 years old today.

What impact does IVF technology have on children’s health? Overall, there is no reason to worry, he said. One commonly cited example is the risk of heart and vascular issues such as arterial hypertension and vascular fragility. However, he said that these issues may also be related to parental genetics, and in part, the result of parents being overly concerned about their children’s development and health. Of course, observations on laboratory mice suggest that IVF-conceived mice exhibit some cardiovascular diseases. Therefore, further research is needed, but he believes that there doesn’t seem to be a need for any specific measures at the moment. However, existing knowledge suggests the need to inform future parents as clearly, objectively, and accurately as possible about the mid-term and long-term consequences and risks to their children’s health.

Furthermore, in 2019, three out of thirteen research reports indicated a significant increase in the incidence of pediatric cancer in children born after IVF. Various types of cancer were mentioned, although the elevated risk of leukemia has been confirmed by several research teams. He emphasized that these risks, together with statistical errors, can offset each other, and therefore, they should not cause excessive concern.

In conclusion, Professor Jouannet lamented that the health issues of test-tube babies have not received enough attention. Although there is no cause for immediate concern due to the short period of technology use and a lack of sufficient data and time to make judgments, it doesn’t mean that the threat does not exist. He specifically warned that there are three sensitive stages during IVF treatment cycles. The first is the hormone therapy given to women to induce egg growth and maturation. The second is the conditions in which embryos are cultured in the laboratory. The last is the freezing technology for embryos.

Currently, there is a lack of precise and detailed data on these three stages. He said that Nordic countries are at the forefront of data sharing and statistics because high-quality data are needed for cross-referencing with children’s medical information to assess the effects of specific factors, such as the composition of embryo culture medium on neurological, behavioral, or other developmental disorders.

Finally, how does the fertility of people born after IVF compare? Two test-tube babies, Louise Brown from the UK in 1978, and Amandine from France in 1982, have demonstrated that test-tube babies can conceive naturally without any problems.

Of course, there is currently a lack of sufficient data in this area as well. However, it is certain that boys born through IVF because their fathers are infertile are likely to be infertile like their fathers. But this is not due to being test-tube babies; it’s a genetic issue.