Common infertility treatments may increase pregnancy risk, vascular complications

Women who become pregnant using assisted reproductive technology (infertility treatment) may have an increased risk of vascular and pregnancy-related complications, according to a new study published in the American Heart Association Journal of the American Heart Association's Women's Red Special

Assisted reproductive technology, also known as ART, is an umbrella term for infertility treatments that work with eggs or embryos to improve the chances of pregnancy

“More and more older women are turning to assisted reproductive technologies

"Adverse pregnancy complications such as high blood pressure during pregnancy have now been identified as risk factors for future cardiovascular disease," Wu said

For the study, researchers examined data from the U.

The analysis found:

• Women who conceived with ART were older, with an average age of 35, compared with 28 for women who conceived without ART

  
  

• Those who conceived through assisted reproductive technology also had more pre-existing health problems, such as chronic high blood pressure, obesity and diabetes

  
  

• Women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology were more than 2.

  
  

• Pregnant women conceived through assisted reproductive technology were 57% more likely to experience placental abruption, a serious complication in which the placenta separates from the lining of the uterus; a 38% increased risk of caesarean section; and a 26% increased risk of preterm birth

  
  

• The risk was increased even in antiretroviral-treated women without pre-existing cardiovascular risk factors

  
  

• Hospital costs for women who conceived through assisted reproductive technology averaged $18,705, compared with $11,983 for women who conceived without ART

  
  

"We were surprised that assisted reproductive technology was independently associated with these complications, rather than only with pre-existing health conditions or only in older women undergoing infertility treatment," Wu said

This study underscores the importance of counseling patients who are considering assisted reproductive technologies about health and pregnancy and the risks associated with the postpartum period

"Patients with cardiovascular risk factors, in particular, should be informed of the potential long-term cardiovascular effects and risks of antiretroviral therapy," Wu said.

A limitation of the study is its retrospective nature, which means that it is an examination of data recorded for non-study reasons and, therefore, there may be errors such as misclassification or misdiagnosis

"Future studies should examine how optimizing cardiovascular risk prior to assisted reproductive technology affects pregnancy complications and long-term cardiovascular health,

Co-authors are Garima V.
Sharma, MD; Laxmi S.
Mehta, MD, Farha University; Carolyn A.
Chew-Graham, mbh
.
Gina P.
Lundberg, MD, FAHA; Kara A.
Nerenberg, MD, MS; Michelle M.
Graham, MD; Lucy C.
Chappell, MBBCh, Ph.
D.
; Umesh
T.
Kadam, MBCh.
B.
Ph.
D.
; Kelvin P.
Jordan, Ph.
D.
; and mama A.
Mamas, BMBCh
.
, Doctor of Philosophy
.
The authors' disclosures are listed in the manuscript
.

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health and the Johns Hopkins University Blumenthal Fellowship in Preventive Cardiology
.

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