Babies born after fertility treatment may have a slightly higher risk of heart defects, a study found. View on euronews

Babies born through assisted reproductive technology, such as in vitro fertilisation (IVF), may have a 36 per cent higher risk of developing major heart defects compared to those conceived naturally, a new study has found.

Some congenital heart defects are life-threatening. The increased risk is especially pronounced with multiple births, which are more common in assisted reproduction. "Previous research shows that there are increased risks for babies conceived with the help of assisted reproductive technology,

Babies conceived through assisted reproductive technology are more likely to be born with a major heart defect, new research shows.

A new European study found that the risk of congenital heart defects was 36% higher in babies born via IVF. The overall risk was still less than 2%, however.