New research shows that women who experience infertility are at a higher risk of developing heart disease and other cardiovascular issues later in life. Younger women and those who undergo fertility treatments are at an even greater risk.
This discovery, presented at the first Joint Congress between the European Society of Paediatric Endocrinology and the European Society of Endocrinology, stresses the need to consider a woman’s reproductive history when evaluating her long-term heart health.
Infertility and Heart Health
Infertility affects about one in every six people of reproductive age worldwide. Many women seek treatments like in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and assisted reproductive technology (ART) to conceive. Previous studies have suggested a link between infertility and heart disease, but results have been unclear until now.
Study Details
Researchers from the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens analyzed 21 studies involving nearly 180,000 women with infertility and over 3.3 million women without fertility issues. The findings showed that women with infertility had:
- A 14% higher risk of developing heart and blood vessel conditions.
- A 17% higher risk of heart disease.
- A 16% higher risk of stroke compared to women without infertility.
Younger Women at Higher Risk
The study also revealed that younger women, especially those under 40, with infertility were at a 20% higher risk of heart disease. Women who had ART treatments had a 4% increased risk of cardiovascular issues.
Implications for Future Health
Dr. Armeni, one of the lead researchers, emphasized that recognizing infertility as an early sign of cardiovascular risk could help doctors monitor women more closely. This finding also raises questions about the long-term effects of fertility treatments like IVF.
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