Association between artificial reproductive technology and retinopathy of prematurity

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Infertility is an increasingly common health problem which affects approximately 10% of the women in reproductive age. Artificial reproductive technology (ART), which is the modern solution to infertility, unfortunately has been linked to increased prevalence of prematurity and low birth weight (BW) in the newborn. That’s why ART infants make up a considerable portion of the retinopathy of prematurity (ROP) screening burden, which is likely to increase, as ART becomes increasingly available and utilized. AIM: The aim of the study was to assess the association between ART and the development of ROP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Retrospective analysis of preterm infants screened for ROP at the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit in the University Hospital “Prof. Dr. Stoyan Kirkovichâ€∞ Stara Zagora, Bulgaria, by single factor and multifactor logistic regression models. RESULTS: During a 4-year period (2016–2019), 419 infants, meeting the screening criteria, were admitted in the ward. Out of them, 265 were conceived naturally and 154 through ART. Thirty-two (7.6%) children required laser treatment for ROP, among which 15 (46.87%) were conceived naturally and 17 (53.12%) by ART. Multifactor analyses proves BW (odds ratio [OR] 0.99; confidence interval [CI], 0.98–0.99; p = 0.008) and gestational age (GA) (OR 0.296; 95% CI 0.09–0.88; p = 0.029) as significant risk factors for severe ROP, requiring treatment. CONCLUSION: ART is a risk factor for ROP due to its association with lower BW and GA of the newborn infants, rather than directly increasing the possibility for it. Nevertheless, there is a pronounced trend for more severe ROP to develop in ART children, when compared to naturally conceive in the same weight group.