IVF conceived children also tended to weigh less at birth, tended to be born earlier and were 26 per cent more likely to be small for their age.
Dr Liv Bente Romundstad, who led the study, believes that the high death rate among IVF babies is likely be linked to the underlying reasons why their mother sought infertility treatment in the first place.
Doctors have tried to reduce the safety risks around IVF by cutting the number of embryos they place in the mother's womb. A maximum of two fertilised eggs are now replaced although many experts would like to see that number cut to one, to reduce the high number of IVF twin births, which are seen as more risky for mother and child.
Official figures now show that one in 64 babies in Britain is now born following IVF treatment.
August 2008
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