In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a process by which an egg is extracted by needle aspiration and then combined with a sperm so that fertilization can occur outside the body. Genetic defects, such as chromosomal abnormalities, are considered rare among the general population; however, even though their incidence among IVF-conceived children is uncommon, several alarming studies were published on the increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities IVF/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)-conceived children compared to universal rates. This study aimed to review the literature and present data to answer whether IVF or ICSI is associated with an increased risk of chromosomal abnormalities inborn after IVF/ICSI treatment compared to spontaneously conceived children. Relevant published scientific articles were searched in the Medline database, using combinations of the following key terms: "IVF", "in vitro fertilization", "ICSI", "intracytoplasmic sperm injection", "natural conception", "spontaneous conception" along with "chromosomal abnormalities", "chromosomal defects", "sex chromosome aneuploidy", and "trisomy". The eligible studies were considered as studies exploring the association of IVF/ICSI with chromosomal abnormalities compared to spontaneous conception. The search included studies published from 1992 to 2018. The results for the association of chromosomal abnormalities and IVF remain unclear. As many studies proved a significant increase in chromosomal abnormalities and syndromes among the IVF population, other studies were contradicting and contributed the abnormalities to several environmental and technical factors.
Key words: IVF, ICSI, spontaneous conception, chromosomal abnormalities, sex chromosome aneuploidy, trisomy
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