Does IVF treatment lead to a higher rate of birth defects?
Past research has not found an increased risk of birth defects with IVF treatment. However, in 2001 a large study concluded that the rate of major birth defects in babies conceived via IVF was twice that of babies conceived naturally (8.4% vs. 4%, respectively). Another way to look at this, however, is that a couple has more than a 90% chance of having a healthy baby via IVF. Also for many people, IVF is the only option available to have a child.
