Fertility Experiences Study Expansion
Thank you for your interest in the Fertility Experiences Study Expansion (FES-Expansion). If you participated in FES and have a child aged one month to five years old you may be receiving a follow-up questionnaire. This follow-up study uses the Ages & Stages Questionnaire, an online screening tool, to assess child development. Below is a brief overview of the purpose and goals of FES Expansion.
Background & Introduction
There is some evidence to suggest that that children conceived following infertility treatment may suffer from developmental delays. However, findings in the published literature are limited and mixed. In order to understand more about the association between infertility, fertility treatment, and child development, we are expanding upon the recently completed Fertility Experiences Study (FES). We are collecting developmental data about children conceived with infertility treatment and those conceived naturally following infertility from women who completed the FES study. We have already collected extensive data about these women’s infertility experiences, treatments received, and pregnancy and birth outcomes. FES participants were recruited from the two primary infertility clinics in the Salt Lake Valley and also through population-based sampling.
Objectives
Aim 1: Examine early childhood development in children who were conceived using in vitro fertilization (IVF) with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) compared to children conceived with other fertility treatments or no treatment, while controlling for factors including maternal age and duration of trying to conceive.
Aim 2: Establish a cohort of parents and children who were conceived with a variety of fertility treatments that is optimized to assess future child health and family outcomes