Objective To investigate the physical growth and neuropsychological behavioral development of preschool children conceived through assisted reproductive technology (ART), so as to provide scientific evidence for their health management. Methods A total of 65 ART-conceived children aged 3 to 6 years were recruited from Dalian Women and Children′s Medical Group between January 2023 and December 2024.A control group of 65 naturally conceived (NC) children, matched 1:1 for age, was selected.Physical development indicators were assessed, including height, weight, body mass index (BMI), blood pressure, etc., and the Children Neuropsychological and Behavioral Scale (2016 Edition) was used to evaluate developmental status. Results The parental age in the ART group was significantly higher than that in the NC group (t=7.184, 8.337, P<0.05).Although maternal weight gain during pregnancy (t＝3.237), as well as the rates of multiple pregnancy, preterm birth (χ2=9.531), pregnancy complications (χ2=10.586), cesarean section (χ2=12.671), and neonatal hospitalization rate(χ2=13.510) were higher in the ART group (P<0.05), no statistically significant differences were found in these perinatal outcomes after adjusting for multiple pregnancies (P>0.05).Regarding physical development, there were no significant differences in height, weight, or blood pressure between the two groups; however, the BMI, waist circumference, and prevalence of overweight/obesity were significantly higher in the ART group compared to the NC group (t=2.067,3.781,Z=-2.194,P<0.05).In terms of neuropsychological development, no significant differences were observed in gross motor, fine motor, adaptive ability, warning behavior, or total developmental quotient (P>0.05).However, the ART group scored significantly higher in language ability and social behavior than the NC group (t=3.764,2.210,P<0.05).Subgroup analysis by gender revealed that boys in the ART group had significantly better language scores than boys in the NC group (t=3.565, P=0.001), while no significant differences were found between girls in the two groups across all developmental domains. Conclusions After adjusting for multiple pregnancies, the risk of adverse perinatal outcomes in ART children does not increase significantly.In the preschool period, ART children demonstrate generally good physical and neuropsychological development, with better performance in language and social behavior compared to NC children, particularly in language skills among boys.However, ART children are at a higher risk of overweight and obesity, suggesting a need for regular monitoring and intervention regarding their nutritional status and BMI.
Key words
assisted reproductive technology /
preschool children /
perinatal period /
physical development /
neuropsychological development
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