Children born to single mothers who conceived through medically assisted reproduction (MAR) have birth outcomes similar to those of babies born to partnered mothers who conceived naturally, according to a UCL-led study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology.
The research compared birth outcomes across two groups: single mothers who used MAR and partnered mothers who conceived without assistance. The findings indicate that the mode of conception and family structure do not appear to disadvantage the children in terms of key birth metrics.
The authors suggest the results offer reassuring evidence for single women considering assisted conception. However, the study is observational, and the source does not detail specific birth measures or potential confounders, so causation should not be inferred.