Typological Variants of the Development of Children Born After Assisted Reproduction, and Their Family Environment Characteristics

Abstract

Introduction. Due to the increased number of children born as a result of assisted reproductive technology (ART), there are contradictory data on their health and development. This underlines the need to identify the developmental trajectories of these children and the system of factors that contribute to them, specific for each developmental stage. Aim: To identify the variants of physical and psychological development of children born after ART, as well as the characteristics of their family environment during the early preschool age. Methods. The participants were 220 families (mothers, fathers and 4-year-old children): 80 families with induced conception (ART), 130 families with natural (spontaneous) conception (NC). Methods were based on the questionnaires used in TEDS and QLSCD, translated into Russian: Parent-Administered and Parent-Reported PARCA; short version of the MacArthur Communicative Development Inventory; assessment of preschool children’s behaviour BEH; «Your Child at Home»; «Your Child’s Health»; «Scale of Lack of Money for Essentials»; short version of the «Household Food Security Scale»; «Job Satisfaction»; assessment of stress and fatigue; assessment of anxiety; assessment of the relationship with the child»; short version of the Dyadic Adjustment Scale. Results. In ART and NC families 3 developmental variants were identified: «Balanced» (ART: 33%, NC: 41%), «Risk of imbalance» (ART: 42%, NC: 19%), «Risk of developmental and behavioural problems» (ART: 24%, NC: 40%). For ART group, these variants were different only in mothers’ relationship with the child, for the NC group – in all types of family characteristics. Discussion. In NC families most aspects of family functioning are related to children’s behaviour and development, in ART families – only maternal attitude to the child. The results underline the need for individual psychological support and correction.

Keywords

• art
• ivf
• induced pregnancy
• mental development
• physical development
• preschool age
• family environment
• family relations
• financial situation
• parent-child relations