IVF babies face bigger health risk

Babies born after IVF treatment face a higher risk of medical complications, a study said today.

The report said IVF children tend to have a lower birth weight and higher rates of Caesarean delivery and intensivecare admissions than those conceived naturally.

There was also double the risk of premature birth, and deaths rates were 1.68 times higher.

Single babies conceived with medical assistance are in most danger, says the study in the British Medical Journal. They are at more than three times the risk of a very premature birth - before 32 weeks - and double for a birth of before 37 weeks.

Researcher Dr Frans Helmerhorst said: " Women undergoing assisted- reproduction programmes should be made properly aware of these risks."