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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2014 Feb 1.
Published in final edited form as: Fertil Steril. 2013 Feb;99(2):303–310. doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2012.12.035

Figure 1. Possible etiologies of LBW in children conceived after ART.

Figure 1

Multiple mechanisms have been proposed as potential etiologies for LBW in ART. Ovarian stimulation, maternal characteristics and subfertility may act through an impairment of the embryo or endometrial quality. The impairment in the endometrial quality may result in placental associated defects. The culture medium and the stage of embryo development at transfer may act via the embryo quality. The number of embryos trasfered may act through the vanishing twin hypothesis causing suboptimal implantation. The impairment of the embryo quality can result in either an insult to its implantation potential or its development potential.