Association between method of conception, cytokines in cord blood and pregnancy outcome

ObjectiveTo determine differences in pregnancy outcome between women who conceived spontaneously and those who conceived via assisted reproductive technology (ART) and to examine the relation between the different outcomes and concentrations of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in cord blood.Study designVenous cord bloods were collected from 496 deliveries and assayed for IL-1ra and IL-6 by ELISA. Pregnancy outcomes were obtained from patients' charts.Results240 of the subjects conceived spontaneously (218 males and 222 females) and 59 utilized ART (29 males and 30 females). For both genders, babies conceived via ART had a lower birthweight compared to those from spontaneous conceptions (P < .001) Preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction (36.7% vs. 8.6%, P = .0001), respiratory distress syndrome (26.7% vs. 3.2%, P < .0001) and infant placement in the neonatal intensive care unit (30.0% vs. 3.8%, P = .0006) occurred at a higher rate only in female infants conceived by ART as compared to naturally conceived females. Median cord blood IL-1ra levels in ART-conceived females (2.1 ng/ml) were less than half the levels observed in females from spontaneous conceptions (5.3 ng/ml) (P = .01). IL-1ra levels in the two male subgroups were similar to the levels in spontaneously conceived females. The IL-6 levels in ART-conceived females was also reduced as compared to the other groups, but this did not reach statistical significance. Mothers who conceived via ART were older than the other women (a mean of 35.0 years vs. 32.7 years, P < .05). However, there was no relation between age and the other variables examined.ConclusionFemale infants conceived via ART appear to be at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcome as compared both to ART-conceived males and spontaneously conceived males and females. Reduced production of both a pro- and an anti-inflammatory cytokine in ART-conceived females may contribute to this susceptibility.∗Supported by NIH grant 41676. ObjectiveTo determine differences in pregnancy outcome between women who conceived spontaneously and those who conceived via assisted reproductive technology (ART) and to examine the relation between the different outcomes and concentrations of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in cord blood. To determine differences in pregnancy outcome between women who conceived spontaneously and those who conceived via assisted reproductive technology (ART) and to examine the relation between the different outcomes and concentrations of interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1ra) and interleukin-6 (IL-6) in cord blood. Study designVenous cord bloods were collected from 496 deliveries and assayed for IL-1ra and IL-6 by ELISA. Pregnancy outcomes were obtained from patients' charts. Venous cord bloods were collected from 496 deliveries and assayed for IL-1ra and IL-6 by ELISA. Pregnancy outcomes were obtained from patients' charts. Results240 of the subjects conceived spontaneously (218 males and 222 females) and 59 utilized ART (29 males and 30 females). For both genders, babies conceived via ART had a lower birthweight compared to those from spontaneous conceptions (P < .001) Preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction (36.7% vs. 8.6%, P = .0001), respiratory distress syndrome (26.7% vs. 3.2%, P < .0001) and infant placement in the neonatal intensive care unit (30.0% vs. 3.8%, P = .0006) occurred at a higher rate only in female infants conceived by ART as compared to naturally conceived females. Median cord blood IL-1ra levels in ART-conceived females (2.1 ng/ml) were less than half the levels observed in females from spontaneous conceptions (5.3 ng/ml) (P = .01). IL-1ra levels in the two male subgroups were similar to the levels in spontaneously conceived females. The IL-6 levels in ART-conceived females was also reduced as compared to the other groups, but this did not reach statistical significance. Mothers who conceived via ART were older than the other women (a mean of 35.0 years vs. 32.7 years, P < .05). However, there was no relation between age and the other variables examined. 240 of the subjects conceived spontaneously (218 males and 222 females) and 59 utilized ART (29 males and 30 females). For both genders, babies conceived via ART had a lower birthweight compared to those from spontaneous conceptions (P < .001) Preterm birth, intrauterine growth restriction (36.7% vs. 8.6%, P = .0001), respiratory distress syndrome (26.7% vs. 3.2%, P < .0001) and infant placement in the neonatal intensive care unit (30.0% vs. 3.8%, P = .0006) occurred at a higher rate only in female infants conceived by ART as compared to naturally conceived females. Median cord blood IL-1ra levels in ART-conceived females (2.1 ng/ml) were less than half the levels observed in females from spontaneous conceptions (5.3 ng/ml) (P = .01). IL-1ra levels in the two male subgroups were similar to the levels in spontaneously conceived females. The IL-6 levels in ART-conceived females was also reduced as compared to the other groups, but this did not reach statistical significance. Mothers who conceived via ART were older than the other women (a mean of 35.0 years vs. 32.7 years, P < .05). However, there was no relation between age and the other variables examined. ConclusionFemale infants conceived via ART appear to be at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcome as compared both to ART-conceived males and spontaneously conceived males and females. Reduced production of both a pro- and an anti-inflammatory cytokine in ART-conceived females may contribute to this susceptibility.∗Supported by NIH grant 41676. Female infants conceived via ART appear to be at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcome as compared both to ART-conceived males and spontaneously conceived males and females. Reduced production of both a pro- and an anti-inflammatory cytokine in ART-conceived females may contribute to this susceptibility.