IVF cuts the risk of birth defects for mothers over 40: Chance of a major abnormality is less than half then for those conceived naturally

Women aged 40 or over are less likely to have babies with birth defects if they conceive by IVF, a study has found.
The risk of defects such as Down’s syndrome and cerebral palsy is greater when would-be mothers pass 40.
But research suggests IVF children born to these women have less than half the risk of major birth abnormalities than those conceived naturally.
The findings also showed they had fewer birth defects than the children of mothers aged under 29.
The authors said this ‘implies that a previously undescribed protective mechanism is in action, the details of which we can only... read more