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A recent study has revealed that daylight saving time (DST) may be related to the risk of miscarriage among women going through artificial insemination or in vitro fertilization (IVF).

According to US News, researchers from Boston Medical Center (BMC) have found that the number of miscarriage in patients undergoing IVF was much higher with those who received an embryo 21 days after the time in spring changed compared to those who were given the embryo before or far from the change in time.

The study, published recently in the journal Chronobiology International, did not provide evidence that daylight saving time is responsible for IVF failure rate to drop. There were also no connections that could lead researchers to conclude that the fall time change or the change in time in any seasons of the year could increase the rates of IVF miscarriage.

However, the study may give an explanation of how changes in the circadian rhythm can affect fertility and reproduction, the researchers said. Corresponding author Dr. Constance Liu, a physician in the department of obstetrics and gynecology at Massachusetts General Hospital, explained in a BMC news release that according to their knowledge, there are no other studies that are examining the effects of DST in the outcomes of fertility.

She also added saying that they knew that they were looking into an uncharted field, and it was important for them to understand the effect of a one-hour change on patients' going through IVF. Liu took part in the study during her residency at BMC, reported Health Day.

Meanwhile, senior study author Dr. Wendy Kuohung, director of the division of reproductive endocrinology and infertility at BMC explained: "While our findings on the impact of [daylight savings time] on pregnancy loss among IVF pregnancies are intriguing, they need to be replicated in larger IVF cohorts in different parts of the world that observe [daylight savings time]."