The association of adverse outcomes with pregnancy conception methods among low-risk term pregnancies.

OBJECTIVE

To compare composite neonatal and maternal adverse outcomes among low-risk singleton pregnancies at 37-41 weeks among conception methods: spontaneously-conceived (SC) pregnancy; infertility medications and/or intrauterine insemination (IFM/IUI); and assisted reproductive technology (ART).

DESIGN

Population-based retrospective cohort study.

SETTING

US Vital Statistics datasets 2013-2017.

PATIENT(S): Low-risk pregnancies (without hypertensive disorders, pregestational or gestational diabetes, or history of preterm birth) of women ≥20 years with nonanomalous singletons, who labored, delivered at 37-41 weeks, and had data on pregnancy conception method.

INTERVENTION(S): None.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S): The primary outcome was the composite neonatal adverse outcome (CNAO). The secondary outcome was the composite maternal adverse outcome (CMAO).

RESULT(S): Of the 19.7 million deliveries during the study period, 54.0% (N = 10,676,184) met the inclusion criteria, with 99.0% (N = 10,573,741) being conceived spontaneously, 0.4% (N = 47,227) by IFM/IUI, and 0.5% (N = 55,216) by ART. The overall rate of CNAO was 6.68 per 1,000 live births. Compared with SC, the risk of CNAO was significantly higher among IFM/IUI (adjusted relative risk [aRR], 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18-1.41) and ART (aRR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.18-1.39). The overall rate of CMAO was 2.50 per 1,000 live births. Compared with SC, the risk of CMAO was significantly increased among IFM/IUI (aRR, 1.72; 95% CI, 1.50-1.97) and ART (aRR, 2.40; 95% CI, 2.17-2.65).

CONCLUSION(S): Among low-risk term singleton pregnancies, IFM/IUI and ART have modestly higher rates of adverse outcomes to maternal-neonatal dyad than SC.