Raising a child with a birth defect was associated with a higher — though still low — risk of the mother dying from heart disease or respiratory illness, Danish study suggests.

New research on whether taking antidepressants during pregnancy increases the chance of birth defects in newborns suggests that the risk is low -- but is not able to clear up the questions for good.

Nearly three per cent of ART babies had a birth defect versus justless than twoper cent for babies conceived naturally. That translated to a 58-per-cent greater risk.

Babies conceived through fertility treatments have higher rates of birth defects, but the overall risk is so small that it should not keep couples from having children this way, doctors are reporting.