IVF babies may be up to nine times more likely to develop a rare genetic disorder that can cause cancer, according to a study. Australian researchers looked at over 1m births between 1983 and 2003, 15,000 of which were conceived using IVF. According to New Scientist magazine, 37 were born with Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome (BWS). Four were IVF babies. The researchers said IVF babies had an increased, but still a tiny risk - just 1 in 4,000 chance - of developing BWS. Babies affected by BWS are often large at birth. Many are born with abdominal wall defects or kidney problems. They are also at risk of cancerous tumours. The syndrome is believed to occur because of errors in a process called “imprinting”, which happens when the DNA from the mother and father are combined when the embryo is first conceived.
