Australia’s first babies born using assisted reproductive technologies appear just as healthy in adulthood as those conceived naturally, according to new findings.

The research is the largest population-based comparison to date, covering 193 adults aged 22-35 who were conceived through IVF or gamete intrafallopian transfer, matched with 86 controls of the same age.

The findings are reassuring, particularly the parity of vascular and cardiometabolic measures between the two groups, according to reproductive epidemiologist and lead author Professor Jane Halliday.

“Nothing is jumping out definitively that they have any greater adiposity, or higher blood pressure, or more asthma or anything like that,” said Profesor Halliday from the Murdoch Children’s Research Centre.