Low and Very Low Birth Weight in Infants Conceived with Use of Assisted Reproductive Technology

The increased risk of low birth weight among infants conceived with assisted reproductive technology has been attributed in large part to the higher rate of multiple gestations associated with this technology. This study used population-based data to compare the rates of low birth weight in infants from singleton and multiple gestations conceived with this technology with the rates in the general population. Infants conceived with assisted reproductive technology accounted for 0.6 percent of all infants born in the United States to mothers 20 years of age or older in 1997, but they accounted for 3.5 percent of low-birth-weight and 4.3 percent of very-low-birth-weight infants. There are increases in the rate of low birth weight even among singletons. Infants who have low birth weight, either because of early delivery or because of fetal growth restriction, are at increased risk for short- and long-term disabilities and death. 1 , 2 The use of assisted reproductive technology is an important contributor to the rate of low birth weight in the United States because it is associated with a higher rate of multiple birth, 3 , 4 which, in turn, is associated with low birth weight. 5 By 1997, the use of assisted reproductive technology accounted for more than 40 percent of triplets born in the United States. 4 In addition, studies have suggested that there is . . .