Follow-up of cognitive and motor development of 10-year-old singleton children born after ICSI compared with spontaneously conceived children.

BACKGROUND: This is the first follow-up study of the cognitive, psychosocial, family-relational and medical development of ICSI children at ages 8 and 10. Second-wave study results on the cognitive and motor development of 10-year-old ICSI children are discussed and compared with the outcome at 8 years.

METHODS: Developmental outcomes of 109 10-year-old singletons born through ICSI after at least 32 weeks of gestation were compared with those of 90 singletons of the same age born after spontaneous conception (SC). The outcomes were also compared with the outcomes of the children at age 8.

RESULTS: 10-year-old ICSI children obtained total, verbal and performance intelligence scores comparable to those of SC children. No significant differences were found between ICSI and SC children regarding overall motor, manual and ball skills. ICSI children and girls appear to have better balance skills than SC children and boys, respectively. With regard to long-term follow-up, the IQ results of ICSI and SC children at age 10 appear to have converged (from slightly higher scores in the ICSI children at age 8), probably indicating a decreased effect of maternal educational level or stimulating home environment in the ICSI group over time.

CONCLUSIONS: In this follow-up study, ICSI and SC children show a comparable cognitive and motor development until the age of 10. These findings are in line with those obtained at age 8.