Assisted reproductive technology, which refers to common fertility treatments, may lead to increased risks of vascular and pregnancy complications, a study published Feb. 22 in the Journal of the American Heart Association found.
Researchers analyzed discharge data between Jan. 1, 2008, and Dec. 31, 2016, from the U.S. National Inpatient Sample. Records for all delivery admissions were extracted, specifically records that noted the use of assisted reproductive technology and cardiovascular and pregnancy-related complications.
Three key findings:
- Women with assisted reproductive technology-conceived pregnancies were more than 2.5 times more likely to suffer acute kidney damage and had a 65 percent higher risk for arrhythmia.
- Assisted reproductive technology-conceived pregnancy was associated with a 57 percent greater likelihood of placental abruption, a 38 percent increased risk of cesarean delivery and a 26 percent higher risk for preterm birth.
- The increased risks were present even among the women having assisted reproductive technology who did not have preexisting cardiovascular risk factors.