Although generally secure, infertility treatments are related to some risks akin to ectopic pregnancies, multiple pregnancies and hyperstimulation of ovaries. A latest study has revealed that girls who undergo infertility treatments also face an increased risk of stroke within the 12 months following the delivery.

Researchers on the Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in Recent Jersey conducted a retrospective study, analyzing greater than 31 million pregnant women between the ages of 15 and 54. Participants who took infertility treatment were at 66% higher risk of getting hospitalized for a stroke inside 12 months of delivery compared to others who spontaneously conceived.

Nonetheless, there isn’t any cause for alarm as absolutely the risk of stroke related to infertility treatment remained very low; only 37 stroke hospitalizations for each 100,000 women who underwent treatment, in line with the findings of the study published in Jama Network.

The findings showed that participants who took infertility treatments were at greater than two times the chance of developing hemorrhagic stroke (characterised by brain bleeding) and the chance for ischemic stroke (related to blood clots within the brain) increased by about 50%.

“Strikingly, the rise in risk was evident whilst early as the primary 30 days post-delivery, which highlights the necessity for early and continued follow-up on this population,” researchers wrote.

Although the team evaluated the chance of assorted infertility treatments, including intrauterine insemination, assisted reproductive technology (ART), fertility preservation and surrogacy, the study didn’t discover the relative risk of stroke related to each variety of treatment.

“Our findings of an increased stroke risk in patients undergoing infertility treatment as much as 12 months after delivery deserve immediate attention provided that maternal mortality is related to CVD (heart problems). Further exploration into this association is warranted and efforts must be made to mitigate all aspects related to increased risk of stroke and other CVD within the antenatal and postpartum periods,” the researchers wrote.

In keeping with the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, women who’ve recently given birth must have a routine follow-up appointment throughout the first three weeks and one other follow-up inside 12 weeks.

“Given the association of infertility treatment with increased risk of hemorrhagic and ischemic strokes, perhaps we should always consider early and continued follow-up for patients who undergo infertility treatment,” the researchers added.

Published by Medicaldaily.com