July 2, 2013

IVF and autism

A group of international scientists have been investigating whether there is an association between the use of IVF and the risk of autistic disorder or mental retardation in offspring.

Representatives of the group came to the Science Media Centre to discuss the results and ask questions such as:

• How robust are these findings?
• How big an impact can IVF have?
• Does the form of IVF have an effect?
• Do we need to make changes to the way we conduct IVF?

Speakers: 

Dr Karl-Gösta Nygren, Associate Professor of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Inst Medical Epidemiology & Biostatistics of the Karolinska Institutet, Sweden and former President of the Swedish Society for Obstetricians and Gynaecologists

Dr Avi Reichenberg, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London

Sven Sandin, Department of Psychosis Studies, Institute of Psychiatry, King’s College London