Long term effects of ART: lessons from animal models

The Developmental Origins of Health and Disease (DOHaD) initially pointed out the gestational period as a critical period for late offspring outcome and increasing evidence demonstrates the seminal importance of periconceptional development. Assisted Reproduction Techniques being widely used both in humans and in domestic animals, their epigenetic consequences and long term safety need to be examined. Data generated in animal models (mainly mice) and in large animals, however, indicate that procedures used in ART may induce cumulative effects and affect placental function, fetal growth, feto-placental epigenetic marks, as well as post-natal metabolic and behavioral outcomes. The relevance of these observations can be challenged in view of the inter-specific differences in embryo development, metabolism and timing of epigenetic events, but nevertheless may mirror some findings in epidemiological studies in humans