Infertility Drugs and Cerebral Palsy

Fact Checked

Some couples who have difficulties conceiving a child turn to infertility drugs. Studies confirm that infertility drugs increase the risk of an infant being born with cerebral palsy.

Do Infertility Drugs Cause Cerebral Palsy?

Research has proven that infertility drugs increase the risk of a baby being born with cerebral palsy.

A Danish study published in Human Reproduction looked at nearly 590,000 children born between 1995 and 200 in Denmark. It showed that infants conceived via infertility treatment were twice as likely to develop cerebral palsy.

The study, led by Dr. Dorte Hvidtjorn of Denmark’s University of Aarhus, included 33,139 children conceived through in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and various types of infertility drugs.[1]

Although the risk of having an infant with cerebral palsy increases twofold when taking infertility treatments, the overall numbers are still considered low.

Around 0.2 percent of the children included in the study were born with cerebral palsy. However, the risk was 55% higher for children born after their parents used infertility treatments.

Infertility Drugs and Multiples

Infertility drugs increase the chance of having twins, triplets, quadruplets, and more. Multiple births result in a higher chance of at least one baby developing cerebral palsy.

Another study published in the New England Journal of Medicine found that women who take injectable hormones or the infertility drug clomiphene citrate are much more likely to become pregnant with multiples.[2]

In addition to an increased chance of cerebral palsy, infants born as multiples also risk low birth weight, premature birth, and developmental delays. The infant death of one of the twins significantly heightens the surviving twin’s chance of developing cerebral palsy.

Clomid and Cerebral Palsy Risks

Clomid, an oral hormone pill, increases the risk of parents having twins, which can lead to premature birth. This can lead to cerebral palsy and several other medical conditions.

In 2006, parents in Ontario, Canada, were awarded $12 million after one of their twin girls was born with cerebral palsy.

According to court documents, the twins’ mother took Clomid but was never told of the risks involved. The plaintiff said that had she known what risks were involved with the drug, she would have never agreed to take it.

Experts Warn Women of Risks of Infertility Drugs

According to Alan R. Fleischman, M.D., the March of Dimes medical director, although infertility medications are commonly prescribed, many people are unaware of the risks.

“COH drugs are widely prescribed, and some health care professionals – and their patients — are not aware of the serious risks of fertility drugs to women and their babies. There is a very high possibility of multi-fetal pregnancy resulting from the  use of these drugs, and that brings a high risk of prematurity and lifelong health problems for the babies as a consequence.”

Dr. Fleischman, who stated that more than 80,000 babies are born prematurely each year due to women having multiples, urges physicians and other experts to learn as much as possible about the consequences of prescribing infertility drugs.

He encourages them to use their leadership skills to spread awareness and education to women considering taking the medications.

“The March of Dimes urges more research and leadership from professional societies to develop specific guidelines and encourage acceptance of best practices for the proper use and dosage of fertility drugs, as well as the careful counseling and monitoring of women treated with these drugs. Women taking fertility drugs should always ask their doctor what they can do to prevent having a multi-fetal pregnancy.”[3]

If your child was born with cerebral palsy after being conceived with the aid of infertility drugs, talk to a birth injury lawyer. You should have been given the risks to make an informed decision.