assisted reproductive technology birth defectsMore than 1% of infants are conceived through Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) today, and new research shows that these babies are at greater risk for certain birth defects than babies conceived naturally.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention examined data from the National Birth Defects Prevention study and found that babies born to women who had used high-tech fertility procedures involving both egg and sperm (such as IVF) were two to four times as likely to be born with some birth defects. Those included a septal heart defect (or hole in the heart), cleft lip, and certain gastrointestinal defects.

Although the likelihood of these occurrences is small, there is some risk and an apparent connection between the technology and the defects, although researchers are unsure why -- the defects could be linked to the infertility itself.

Do any of these issues resonate with you? Are you trying or thinking of trying IVF? If so, connect with one of these groups (some are private, so you'll need to join) to swap info and get support: