The physical and psychological development of Intracytoplasmatic Sperm Injection (ICI)-conceived children through individual and family diagnosis.

This research aims to investigate the implications of conception through Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), a new treatment for infertility that is already used in more than 750 European hospitals, for the child's health and family functioning. ICSI-conceived children will be compared to naturally conceived children through:
1) evaluation of the presence and degree of health, developmental and adjustment problems at elementary school age that are associated with the ICSI-conception mode;
2) evaluation of possible effects of type of conception on family life & stress level, parental psychological well-being as well as parental attitudes towards the child. Confounding / mediating variables will be taken into account.
Additionnally, health problems and presence of congenital anomalies will be evaluated, as well as differences in results according to subtype of infertility and sperm origin.
In contrast with preceding studies, this research aims to investigate the psychological development at long term by studying not only young children, but also children up to puberty (6 to 11 years old). This research thus frames within contributions to theory regarding the role of individual and family factors in children's identity and personality development.