Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2009, 218(1)

Letter to the Editor

Spontaneous Pregnancy and Delivery by a Mother Who Was Born via in Vitro Fertilization/Embryo Transfer (IVF/ET)

MASAKUNI SUZUKI,¹ IKUO TACHIBANA,¹ TAKAHIRO NODA¹ and HIDEAKI IMAIZUMI²

¹Suzuki Memorial Hospital, Iwanuma, Japan
²Imaizumi Obstetric and Gynecological Clinic, Sendai, Japan

Dear the Editor,
In August 2003, the first IVF/ET-conceived individual in Japan delivered a healthy baby. The new mother had been conceived in 1984 at the earliest IVF/ET era in Japan. Because of bilateral obstructions of Fallopian tubes, her mother decided to receive IVF/ET at the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Tohoku University (Suzuki 1984).
The above-mentioned subject, who was born via IVF/ET, has had a favorable pregnancy and delivery. In January 2003, she consulted an obstetric and gynecological clinic because of delayed menstruation. Her urine pregnancy test was positive, and ultrasonic tomography confirmed fetal heart activity. She became pregnant without any medical interventions. Throughout her pregnancy, she had no obstetrical abnormalities, including hypertension or premature labor. On Day 5 in Week 39 of the pregnancy, she delivered a healthy boy vaginally. The Apgar score (5 min) was 8 points. His height, body weight, chest circumference, and head circumference were 48.0 cm, 2,726 g, 30.0 cm, and 32.0 cm, respectively. The volume of blood loss was 740 ml, and the placental weight was 530 g. Breast milk secretion was normal. A congenital metabolic error test showed a negative reaction. As with other children in Japanese society, he received annual medical check up for public. This provides periodical examination and assessment about behavioral, cognitive, psychomotor or mental development by health care professionals. In February 2008 (4 years of age), the young boy exhibited no physical/mental abnormalities.
Similarly, in 1978, a girl (Louise) was born as the first baby to be conceived by IVF/ET, which was performed by Drs. P.C. Steptoe and R.G. Edwards. In December 2006, Louise delivered a boy after a spontaneous pregnancy. The long-term health status of IVF babies has been widely studied (Bowdin et al. 2007). Although most of these results are positive and reassuring, we have been unable to make any conclusions about their reproductive ability until they reached reproductive maturity. Our report and Louise's case provide evidence that women who were born via IVF/ET have a favorable reproductive status.

Keywords —— dietary nitrate; nitric oxide; gastric emptying; ¹³C-octanoate breath test.

© 2009 Tohoku University Medical Press

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Tohoku J. Exp. Med., 2009, 218, 81

Correspondence: Masakuni Suzuki, Suzuki Memorial Hospital, 3-5-5 Satonomori, Iwanuma-shi, Miyagi-ken 989-2481, Japan.

e-mail: masakuni@suzukihp.or.jp