OBSTETRIC OUTCOME OF SINGLETON PREGNANCIES CONCEIVED BY IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION AND OVULATION INDUCTION COMPARED WITH THOSE CONCEIVED SPONTANEOUSLY

Objective: To compare the obstetric characteristics of singleton pregn ancies conceived by IVF and ovulation induction with those conceived s pontaneously. Design: Case-control study. Setting: Tertiary care medic al center. Patient(s): All singleton pregnancies that were achieved by IVF (n = 169) and ovulation induction (n = 646) and were delivered fr om January 1989 through December 1994 were evaluated. Each group was c ompared with a separate control group that conceived spontaneously (n = 469 and n = 1,902 for the IVF and ovulation induction groups, respec tively) and delivered during the same period and was matched in terms of maternal age, gestational age, and parity. Intervention(s): Ovulati on induction, IVF-ET. Main Outcome Measure(s): Obstetric complications . Result(s): Multivariate analysis showed that patients who conceived by IVF and ovulation induction had a significantly higher risk for ges tational diabetes mellitus (odds ratio [OR] = 2.0; 95% confidence inte rval [CI] = 1.23-3.30 and OR = 1.9, 95% CI = 1.09-1.79, respectively), pregnancy-induced hypertension (OR = 2.1, 95% CI = 1.04-4.10 and OR = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.04-2.02, respectively), and cesarean section (OR = 3. 6, 95% CI = 2.44-5.29 and OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.09-1.79, respectively) compared with their matched controls. Conclusion(s): After controlling for maternal age, gestational age, and parity, we demonstrated that s ingleton pregnancies conceived by IVF and ovulation induction are at i ncreased risk for maternal gestational diabetes mellitus and pregnancy -induced hypertension, and at greater risk for delivery by cesarean se ction. (Fertil Steril(R) 1998;70:240-5. (C)1998 by American Society fo r Reproductive Medicine.).