Assisted reproductive technologies not associated with increased heart disease risk among women: Study

A new study published in the European Heart Journal found that the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) does not seem to be substantially linked to a higher long-term risk of cardiovascular disease in females.

The primary cause of mortality for women is cardiovascular disease, which may be partially attributed to cardiovascular risk factors unique to women. In vitro fertilization is one of the assisted reproductive technologies that are frequently used to treat female infertility. Despite ARTs have been associated with a higher short-term cardiovascular risk for women and their offspring, it is yet unknown how ARTs will affect cardiovascular health in the long run.

Because of possible hormonal imbalances and pro-thrombotic conditions, the growing use of assisted reproductive technology has sparked questions about its long-term cardiovascular safety. Thus, this study by Carlo Andrea Pivato and colleagues evaluated the long-term cardiovascular risk that women's reproductive treatments entail.

From the beginning to January 2024, a systematic review and meta-analysis was carried out in MEDLINE (via PubMed) in accordance with PRISMA standards. Cohort, case-control, or randomized trials were considered if they met the following requirements: a control group; a minimum 1-year follow-up; and a documented and confounding-factor-adjusted link between ART and the eventual cardiovascular outcome (at least age). Using the DerSimonian and Laird random-effects model, effect size (ES) estimations of the relationship between reproductive treatment and eventual cardiovascular disease were combined. 

Out of the 7298 publications that were examined, 10 trials that involved 36,395,240 controls and 500,664 women receiving ART were included. The long-term risk of major adverse cardiovascular events, stroke, coronary heart disease, hypertension, venous thromboembolism, or diabetes did not significantly rise, according to the data. A decreased risk of heart failure was linked to assisted reproductive technologies.

Overall, women receiving assisted reproductive technology (ART) have long been at risk for hormonal imbalances and increased thrombosis. Also, ART did not significantly raise the long-term risk of diabetes or MACE (coronary heart disease, stroke, VTE, and hypertension). 

Source:

Pivato, C. A., Inversetti, A., Condorelli, G., Chieffo, A., Levi-Setti, P. E., Latini, A. C., Busnelli, A., Messa, M., Cristodoro, M., Bragato, R. M., Francone, M., Zuccolo, L., Ieva, F., Di Angelantonio, E., Stefanini, G., & Di Simone, N. (2024). Cardiovascular safety of assisted reproductive technology: a meta-analysis. In European Heart Journal. Oxford University Press (OUP). https://doi.org/10.1093/eurheartj/ehae886