Cardiovascular Risks Associated with Infertility and Fertility Treatments
Summary
Infertility and its treatments intersect with cardiovascular health through shared hormonal, metabolic and vascular pathways. Women experiencing infertility frequently present with conditions such as polycystic ovary syndrome, endometriosis and insulin resistance, each associated with hypertension, dyslipidaemia and endothelial dysfunction. Assisted reproductive technologies employ ovarian stimulation and exogenous hormones that can exacerbate fluid shifts, coagulation changes and blood pressure elevations. Population studies have reported links between infertility and increased risks of heart failure, stroke mortality and atrial fibrillation, while investigations of treated women have shown variable cardiovascular outcomes—from no long-term excess in major disease to heightened rates of postpartum hospitalisation for hypertensive and ischaemic events. These findings underscore the importance of integrated cardiovascular assessment before, during and after fertility care, with implications for global reproductive and cardiovascular health strategies.
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Cardiovascular Risks Associated with Infertility and Fertility Treatments publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in cardiovascular risks associated with infertility and fertility treatments across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Infertility: Inability to achieve pregnancy after 12 months or more of regular, unprotected intercourse.
Assisted reproductive technologies (ART): Medical procedures, including in vitro fertilisation and related techniques, used to achieve pregnancy.
Hazard ratio: A measure of relative risk over time, comparing event rates between two groups in longitudinal studies.
Heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF): A form of heart failure in which the heart contracts normally but has impaired relaxation and filling.
References
- Infertility treatment is associated with increased risk of postpartum hospitalization due to heart disease. Journal of Internal Medicine (2024).
- Parity, infertility, age at first birth, and risk of atrial fibrillation: data from the HUNT study. European Journal of Preventive Cardiology (2024).
- Association between female infertility and stroke mortality: evidence from the PLCO cancer screening trial. Frontiers in Endocrinology (2024).
- Infertility and Risk of Heart Failure in the Women’s Health Initiative. Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2022).
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