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Assisted Reproductive Technology: Stress-Related Epigenetic and Neurodevelopmental Risk?

  • Ideas and Perspectives
  • Published:
Activitas Nervosa Superior

Abstract

When a couple cannot conceive, it is commonly assumed that an underlying medical problem can be identified. However, emotional and psychological issues may play an important role in the development of infertility. In addition, assisted reproductive techniques (ARTs) themselves may add to this stress in susceptible individuals. Infertile couples may have an increased susceptibility to these adverse effects. This in turn may result in increased risks for long-term psychological and medical problems in both the parents and the newborn. Among mechanisms mediating these effects altered DNA methylation affecting epigenetic regulation, preterm delivery, vanishing twin syndrome and the persistence of cell-free fetal DNA might be particularly important. Since emotional and psychological problems are highly prevalent in this population and ARTs can adversely influence these, we suggest that a thorough psychological evaluation should be an integral part of both the evaluation process for infertility and the follow-up after assisted reproduction. Furthermore, regarding the mentioned studies here, we propose that ARTs may induce stress-related epigenetic and neurodevelopmental risk.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of CAM, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary

    H. Szőke

  2. Psychosomatic Outpatient Center, Montevideo 5, Budapest, H-1037, Hungary

    István Bókkon

  3. Department of Psychiatry and Psychiatric Rehabilitation, Saint John Hospital, Budapest, Hungary

    G. Kapócs

  4. Institute for Behavioral Sciences, Semmelweis University, Budapest, Hungary

    G. Kapócs

  5. University of Tuebingen, Children’s Hospital, Tuebingen, Germany

    J. Vagedes

  6. ARCIM Institute, Filderstadt, Germany

    J. Vagedes

  7. University of Vienna, Vienna, Austria

    C. Saahs

  8. Pediatric Outpatient Department, Krems, Austria

    C. Saahs

  9. Doctorate School, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Pécs, Pécs, Hungary

    C. Saahs, A. Mérey & Z. Kovács

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Szőke, H., Bókkon, I., Kapócs, G. et al. Assisted Reproductive Technology: Stress-Related Epigenetic and Neurodevelopmental Risk?. Act Nerv Super 60, 95–106 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41470-018-0026-3

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