Objective: To analyse the neurodevelopmental outcome of a cohort of premature patients who have been conceived by assisted fertilization techniques (AFT) compared to premature infants conceived by spontaneous fertilization (SF). Patients and interventions: 151 premature births were recorded in our referral Neonatal Unit between 1/1/2020-12/31/2022. At the time of the review, 87 (53 boys and 35 girls) had reached two years of age, and both in-hospital and out-of-hospital follow-up records were available at that age. In 18 cases the conception was by AFT. Results: No differences were found between groups in gestational age, birth weight, type of delivery or Apgar index. Maternal age was higher among patients conceived with AFT (37.6+-4 vs 31.7+-6.2) as well as twining (36.2% vs 63.8%, p<0.001). The presence of neurodevelopmental alterations that required evaluation and follow-up did not present significant differences when the data from all reference health areas were accumulated. When the group from the reference area was analysed, AFT patients had eight times the risk (RR=8.17; CI (1.1-60.25)) of presenting neurological signs for follow-up or intervention. Conclusions:1) At the age of two years, premature patients conceived by assisted fertilization have a greater risk of presenting neurodevelopmental alterations than those conceived naturally. 2) When the data analysed corresponds to the reference centre, the differences are more significant, especially if compared with those that come from private managed centres included in the public health network.3) Ordinary confounding factors appear to play a minor role in influencing neurodevelopment.

María Dolores Simón-Rufete
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF SAN JUAN DE ALICANTE
Spain

Samantha Turner
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF SAN JUAN DE ALICANTE
Spain

Dafne Echenique-Lara
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF SAN JUAN DE ALICANTE
Spain

Verónica Rocamora-Romero
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF SAN JUAN DE ALICANTE
Spain

Patricia Andreo-Lillo
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF SAN JUAN DE ALICANTE
Spain

Francisco Carratalá-Marco
UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL OF SAN JUAN DE ALICANTE
Spain