Pregnancy Risks: IVF or Something Else to Blame?

Women who undergo in vitro fertilization (IVF) to conceive are more likely to face various pregnancy-related risks like preeclampsia—maternal high blood pressure associated with pregnancy—and placental abnormalities. That's the conclusion of research released by a group of international medical experts.¹

Embedded Risks Possible
But some doctors not connected to the study stress that these pregnancy-related risks are typical of women who had difficulty achieving pregnancy in the first place. "It should not be surprising that women who had a medical problem that made it difficult for them to get pregnant also had problems once they became pregnant," explained William Gibbons, MD, President of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), in a written statement.

"The other complicating factor may be age," said Gibbons, who is a reproductive endocrinologist at the Jones Institute for Reproductive Medicine in Norfolk, Virginia. "Women who undergo infertility treatments are often older than most women who become pregnant. Age, in and of itself, is a risk factor for a more complicated pregnancy."

According to a press release about the study, it's unclear what the underlying reasons for the adverse pregnancy outcomes may be.

Link Found
The researchers found no association between the use of ART and chromosome abnormalities or birth defects in the children conceived, nor ART and low birthweight in the babies.

However, they did find a link between the use of ART and a higher risk of having an unfavorable pregnancy outcome, especially for those who underwent IVF. Those using IVF were six times as likely to develop certain placental abnormalities like placenta previa, a condition in which the placenta completely or partially covers the cervical opening. IVF patients also had two-and-a-half times the risk of developing preeclampsia, as well as a condition known as placental abruption, which involves the premature separation of the placenta from the uterine wall. Women undergoing IVF were also nearly two-and-a-half times more likely to have undergone a C-section compared to those who used other types of ART or no ART at all.

Miscarriage risk was higher, as well, for those who underwent ovulation induction, the research team found.

The Positive Side
Despite these discoveries, the investigators stressed that the "chances of having a healthy child through ART are, overall, extremely high."

Why is understanding the reality of these risks important? The investigators stress that this knowledge will help doctors counsel patients considering ART about the possibility of adverse pregnancy outcomes.

"We are pleased to see that the study re-affirmed that the children born thanks to these technologies are no more likely to have problems than other children," Gibbons said. "It is important that patients who conceive with the help of assisted reproductive technologies discuss this with their obstetricians."