Hello Niño, Kenneth and Joshua! Happy holidays to you as well!
Regarding your question, epigenetic risks and alterations have been studied insufficiently because phenotypes associated with epigenetic defects may be difficult to identify in short-term studies. In addition, phenotypes due to imprinting defects may be obvious during early life stages while other phenotypes may be subtler, such as the phenotypes of cancer predisposition that can be measured only later in life. A definite answer about the safety and practices to minimize risk of epigentic alterations caused by assisted reproduction is not certain but a long-term clinical follow up during the whole life of a child born by IVF is suggested, because epigenetic alterations in the early stages of development can be expressed later in adult life. This way conditions or diseases arising from IVF can be monitored and treated.
Regarding your question, epigenetic risks and alterations have been studied insufficiently because phenotypes associated with epigenetic defects may be difficult to identify in short-term studies. In addition, phenotypes due to imprinting defects may be obvious during early life stages while other phenotypes may be subtler, such as the phenotypes of cancer predisposition that can be measured only later in life. A definite answer about the safety and practices to minimize risk of epigentic alterations caused by assisted reproduction is not certain but a long-term clinical follow up during the whole life of a child born by IVF is suggested, because epigenetic alterations in the early stages of development can be expressed later in adult life. This way conditions or diseases arising from IVF can be monitored and treated.