Introduction

A new study shows that women who give birth after fertility treatment are more likely to suffer a stroke than women who conceive naturally.

Research Findings

Researchers at Rutgers University in New Jersey, after tracking 30 million pregnancies, found that women who got pregnant with fertility treatments such as in vitro fertilization, IVF or IUI, and others were 1% to 66% more likely to have a stroke within one year of birth.

They are also more than twice as likely to develop the deadliest form of stroke, a hemorrhagic stroke, when bleeding occurs in the brain, and 55% more likely to have an ischemic stroke, caused by a blood clot that cuts off blood flow to a part of the brain.

Stroke is the number one cause of death among pregnant women and is said to be caused by the stress pregnancy puts on the body. About 30 out of every 100,000 women experience a stroke within a year of giving birth.

Possible Causes

It wasn’t immediately clear why women who received fertility treatments were at higher risk, but the researchers said it could be due to the hormone treatments women undergoing these procedures must undergo, as well as an increased risk that in these women, the placenta is not implanted correctly.

IVF is one of the many fertility treatments available for conceiving a child. During this process, the egg is retrieved from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm in the laboratory. This embryo is then implanted in the woman’s uterus for growth and development.

Intrauterine insemination is a process in which sperm is injected directly into the uterus. During treatment, patients are given estrogen to stimulate the release of an egg (ovulation) and the growth and maintenance of the lining of the uterus.

High levels of estrogen, which can be much higher than normal levels, can damage the lining of blood vessels and increase clotting factors, which increases the risk of stroke.

In addition to stroke, women who have undergone IVF are also at an increased risk of placenta accreta, where the placenta is too small or does not attach properly to the uterine lining.

The scientists said it could increase the risk of stroke by causing an increase in blood pressure as the body tries to deliver more blood and nutrients to the uterus, higher levels of inflammation due to stress, and more clotting factors in the blood to avoid heavy bleeding.

Other Factors

The scientists also suggested that women receiving fertility treatment may be exposed to more serious health risks, such as obesity, smoking, or alcohol abuse, which can make it difficult to conceive naturally.

The team also suggested that age may be a factor. Although the median age of the women who participated in IVF was 32 years old (below the 35-year threshold at which risk increases), it was older than those who “conceived spontaneously” in the study, who were 27 years old.

Scientists have stated that strokes do not occur before pregnancy because they are caused by a drop in blood pressure as the body returns to the state it was in before pregnancy.

Conclusion

The study conducted by Rutgers University highlights the increased risk of stroke among women who give birth after fertility treatment. The findings suggest that the hormone treatments and potential issues with placenta implantation could contribute to this heightened risk. It is important for healthcare professionals to be aware of these risks and monitor women who have undergone fertility treatments closely.

Source: Daily Mail