Perinatal outcomes in 375 children born after oocyte donation: a Danish national cohort study

Objective: To describe perinatal outcomes in children born after oocyte donation (OD) compared with in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and spontaneous conception (SC).

Design: National cohort study.

Setting: Fertility clinics.

Patient(s): Three hundred seventy-five children born after OD during the period 1995-2010.

Intervention(s): None.

Main outcome measure(s): Mean birth weight, mean gestational age, risks of low birth weight (LBW), preterm birth (PTB), congenital malformations, cesarean delivery, preeclampsia, and admittance to neonatal intensive care unit.

Result(s): We found an increased risk of PTB in OD pregnancies. The adjusted odds ratio (AOR) of PTB in OD singletons was 1.8 (95% CI, 1.2-2.69), 2.5 (95% CI, 1.7-3.6), and 3.4 (95% CI, 2.3-4.9) compared with IVF, ICSI, and SC, respectively. The risk of LBW was also increased. The AOR of LBW was 1.4 (95% CI, 0.9-2.2), 1.8 (95% CI, 1.2-2.8), and 2.6 (95% CI, 1.7-4.0) compared with IVF, ICSI, and SC. The risk of preeclampsia was increased in OD pregnancies with an AOR of 2.9 (95% CI, 1.8-4.6), 2.8 (95% CI, 1.7-4.5), and 3.1 (95% CI, 1.9-4.9) compared with IVF, ICSI, and SC. After additional adjustment for preeclampsia, perinatal outcome improved. Among the twins, the difference between the groups was less pronounced.

Conclusion(s): Pregnancies after OD have a poorer perinatal outcome than those after standard IVF and ICSI mainly because of the high prevalence of preeclampsia.