Linking AMND, STONES, IVF and infertility databases
Research type
Research Study
Full title
Using data linkage to ascertain early gestational accuracy and to explore the association between IVF conception and reduced weight in infancy and childhood
IRAS ID
180420
Contact name
S Turner
Contact email
Sponsor organisation
University of Aberdeen
Duration of Study in the UK
2 years, 11 months, 16 days
Research summary
Fetal ultrasound measurements may be a useful index of fetal wellbeing and reduced measurements have been linked to adverse respiratory outcomes in childhood. It is crucial to have an accurate gestation to interpret fetal measurements since a big eight-week-old fetus will be the same size as a normal ten-week-old and a small twelve-week-old. One method of being certain of gestation is to use pregnancies conceived by in vitro fertilisation (IVF) but IVF pregnancies are known to be small at birth compared to infants conceived without assistance. This project will be the first to validate gestational accuracy by comparing first trimester fetal size between conception without assistance and after donor insemination (DI, where the date of implantation is known).
The second aim of this project is to then explore the relationship between IVF conception and measurements made of the individual between 10 weeks gestation and five years of age using pregnancies conceived by DI for first trimester measurements and all pregnancies for other measurements since first trimester size is a reliable method of dating a pregnancy.
Our first hypothesis is that fetuses conceived through DI will be of an equal first trimester size when adjusted for gestation compared to fetuses conceived without assistance.
Our second hypothesis is that individuals conceived by IVF are small from the first trimester through to five years of age.
Our third hypothesis is that infants whose conception was unassisted but whose mothers previously had IVF will have lower birth weight compared to infants whose conception was by IVF.
This will be the first study of which we are aware to relate IVF conception to anthropometric measurements beyond birth and will give novel insight into the antenatal (and pre-conception) determinants of childhood growth.
REC name
North of Scotland Research Ethics Committee 1
REC reference
15/NS/0045
Date of REC Opinion
28 May 2015
REC opinion
Favourable Opinion