The importance of early intervention in children conceived with assisted reproductive technologies (ART)

Introduction: Sterility is a biopsychosocial phenomenon, whose medical, psychological, and sociocultural aspects are inseparable. This study aimed to determine whether the type of conception, the method of birth, and the time of birth affect the type and scope of support of experts in the field of early intervention. Method: This retrospective study included children who were monitored at the Special Hospital for Cerebral Palsy and Developmental Neurology, Belgrade. Data were taken from patients’ medical histories. Two groups of respondents were formed. The first consisted of children conceived by the in vitro fertilisation (IVF) method and this sample included 213 babies. The control group had the same number of children, all of whom were conceived naturally. Results: Uneven psychomotor development was present equally in both examined groups of children (43.2% of IVF children vs 45.5% of spontaneously/naturally conceived children). Children conceived by IVF and natural conception do not differ from the frequency of referral to occupational therapy. The difference between these groups was not detected even when it came to referring the children to a special educator. Conclusion: The method of conception and type of delivery are not a prerequisite for referral to various forms of therapy, or counselling and monitoring, as well as their frequency in visits to professionals in the field of early intervention.