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A large Danish study found that children conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART) have a slightly higher cancer incidence than naturally conceived children — but experts stress the absolute risk remains very low. The study, published in JAMA, tracked over 1 million births across 20 years and found ICSI and frozen embryo transfer were independently associated with increased cancer incidence. Experts say the findings shouldn't deter anyone from pursuing fertility treatment.
A major new study published in JAMA has found a modest but measurable association between assisted reproductive technology (ART) and childhood cancer. Researchers analyzed data from over 1 million live births in Denmark between 1996 and 2012, following children for a median of 20 years. Of the 3,736 cancers identified, children conceived via ART had a higher cancer incidence than those conceived naturally — though experts are quick to note the absolute risk for any individual child remains extremely low.
The study zeroed in on three ART methods: IVF, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and frozen embryo transfer. Notably, only ICSI and frozen embryo transfer were independently linked to increased cancer incidence — not fresh IVF. Researchers also ruled out infertility itself as the driver, finding the ART association held even when compared to children of infertile parents who didn't use ART.
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Why it matters: The findings are unlikely to change fertility treatment decisions, but they could prompt pediatricians to monitor ART-conceived children — especially those born via frozen embryo transfer — more closely for early signs of cancer.
