The physical and psychomotor development of children conceived by IVF and exposed to high‐frequency vaginal ultrasonography (6.5 MHz) in the first trimester of pregnancy

We examined the physical and psychomotor development of 33 infants conceived by in vitro fertilization (IVF) who were exposed to high‐frequency transvaginal ultrasonography (HFTVS) (6.5 MHz) in the first trimester of pregnancy. The study group was composed of 21 singletons and six sets of twins. Thirty‐three non‐IVF controls were matched for birth weight, gestational age, sex, birth order, order in multiple delivery, mode of delivery, age at examination and parental age and education. Forty‐five IVF infants who were not exposed to HFTVS and their matched controls also served as comparison groups. The Bayley scales were used to assess the psychosocial development of the infants studied. Increases in preterm delivery, low birth weight and Cesarean section rates were within the acceptable range for IVF babies. Mean birth weight, gestational age and birth weight percentiles of exposed IVF infants were lower than the expected mean for a normal population, but did not differ from that of non‐exposed IVF infants. Mean percentiles of weight and length at examination were also low but not different from those of non‐exposed IVF and matched control groups. However, percentiles of head circumference were normal at birth and at examination both in study and control groups. Overall, Bayley scores of exposed IVF infants were within the normal range and did not differ significantly from those of their matched controls and non‐exposed peers. These scores were significantly correlated to birth weight, percentiles of birth weight and head circumference at birth and at examination, and to the mother's education. Twins had lower physical and mental indices than singletons, but did not differ from their controls. Copyright © 1991 International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology