IVF Pregnancies Linked to Higher Maternal and Neonatal Risks: Study

A recent study published in The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine found that In vitro fertilization (IVF) pregnancies are associated with increased maternal morbidity and adverse fetal and neonatal outcomes when compared to spontaneous pregnancies. The adverse events include higher rates of hypertensive disorders, fetal growth restriction, preterm birth, cesarean delivery, and NICU admissions.

This retrospective observational study was conducted at a single medical center which analyzed 250 nulliparous women who delivered at or beyond 26 weeks of gestation. Among them, 144 pregnancies were conceived via IVF which included both fresh and frozen embryo transfers, while 106 occurred naturally. This research compared maternal health, pregnancy complications, and neonatal outcomes across these two groups.

The study found elevated rate of hypertensive disorders in IVF pregnancies, which affected 17.9% of patients when compared to just 7.3% in spontaneous pregnancies. Multiple gestation like twins or more were also far more common in the IVF group, which occurred in 25.9% of cases versus 4.6% in natural conceptions. 

Also, higher fetal complications were observed in IVF pregnancies. Rates of fetal growth restriction reached 20%, nearly 3-times higher than the 7.3% observed in spontaneous pregnancies. Other conditions, such as oligohydramnios (low amniotic fluid), polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid), and non-reassuring fetal heart rate patterns, were consistently more frequent in the IVF group. Also, preterm premature rupture of membranes occurred at a slightly higher rate.

IVF pregnancies had a lower average gestational age at delivery which was just under 36 weeks when compared to nearly 38 weeks in spontaneous cases, indicating a higher risk of preterm birth. Newborns from IVF pregnancies also had significantly lower birth weights and reduced Apgar scores at both one and 5 minutes after delivery, which signals potential distress or health concerns immediately after birth.

Cesarean sections were performed in 70.7% of IVF pregnancies, when compared to 52.8% in spontaneous ones. Almost 39% of IVF-born infants required admission to a NICU when compared to just over 5% in the other group. Overall, this research suggest that advanced maternal age along with the higher incidence of multiple gestations, may play a crucial role in these outcomes. 

Source:

Colacurci, D., Sarno, L., Fulgione, C., Mazzarelli, L. L., Tagliaferri, S., Saccone, G., Mappa, I., Derme, M., Pajno, C., Strina, I., Martirani, M., Alviggi, C., D’Alessandro, P., Sirico, A., Di Girolamo, R., Carbone, L., Bifulco, G., ARPO Working Group, & Maruotti, G. M. (2026). Pregnancy-related complications and live-birth outcomes in pregnancies conceived by in vitro fertilization versus spontaneous conception. The Journal of Maternal-Fetal & Neonatal Medicine: The Official Journal of the European Association of Perinatal Medicine, the Federation of Asia and Oceania Perinatal Societies, the International Society of Perinatal Obstetricians, 39(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/14767058.2026.2654342