Cardiovascular findings in women suffering from Turner syndrome requesting oocyte donation

Through oocyte donation (OD), women with Turner syndrome (TS) may achieve motherhood. However, this population has a high prevalence of cardiac malformations and carry a risk for aortic dissection that is increased by pregnancy. Until recently, the necessity for a specialized cardiac evaluation before pregnancy was underestimated as was the need for follow-up through adulthood. The aim of this study was to evaluate the follow-up (mainly cardiovascular) of women with TS requesting OD.

Disease monitoring since diagnosis and prior cardiac evaluations conducted out of our centre were assessed in 25 women with TS who requested OD. New cardiac evaluations using echocardiography and magnetic resonance imaging were performed by our specialized cardiologist in 18 of these patients.

We observed that the medical follow-up of women with TS was often deficient throughout adulthood. Most of the prior cardiac evaluations performed by cardiologists not accustomed to women with TS, either before (n = 8) or when starting OD (n = 12), were considered normal. However, when revaluated by a cardiologist who is familiar with TS, seven women were diagnosed with a bicuspid aortic valve and thus excluded from OD. In addition, when appropriate screening was conducted by our referent cardiologist before OD no cardiac complication was observed during pregnancy or delivery.

Careful follow-up, including cardiac evaluation, should be recommended for women diagnosed with TS, before and after puberty. Moreover, assessment of cardiovascular parameters by a cardiologist familiar with TS should be routinely repeated before undertaking OD.