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| POSTED 12/11/2006 |
Infertile Women Often Have
Other Health Problems
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Researchers from the University of California, San Francisco at the 62nd annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) in New Orleans announced the results of a large study showing that infertile women often have other health problems, including type 2 diabetes or uncontrolled high blood pressure. Due to these problems, these women often face higher risks of complications during pregnancy, including preeclampsia (high blood pressure during pregnancy), and their children face slightly elevated health risks as well.
The researchers examined the health records of over 50,000 women who had undergone infertility treatment, some as long ago as 1965. The team concluded that, while children conceived with the help of infertility treatments were at an increased risk for adverse birth outcomes and neurodevelopmental disorders, the absolute risks were small.
“This work points out some of problems facing infertility patients. Patients often come to us with other health problems which may be related to their infertility. These problems can contribute to a slightly increased risk of obstetrical complications while pregnant,” says Andrew LaBarbara, Ph.D., ASRM’s Scientific Director. “While this study is carefully done, it does have limitations. These data do not allow us to determine if these risks are related to the patients’ infertility, some underlying health problem or perhaps some part of the treatment."
Date Posted: December 11, 2006 |
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