School performance and long-term outcomes of very preterm children conceived via in vitro fertilization.

Objective: To assess the impact of in vitro fertilization (IVF) on school performance and long-term outcomes in very preterm children aged 8-16 years.

Methods: Seventy-nine children born after IVF were compared with 79 randomly selected matched controls born after spontaneous conception (SC). Information was obtained from parents via a questionnaire administered through telephone interviews looking into school performance, including preschool education, repeated grades, extra lessons, special education needs, and learning difficulties; long-term status, including incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism; and family profile.