Assisted Reproductive Technology and Cardiovascular Outcomes in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

Area of Science:

• Cardiology
• Reproductive Medicine
• Public Health

Background:

• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) use is linked to higher risks of pregnancy-related cardiovascular issues.
• Long-term cardiovascular outcomes for women using ART remain poorly understood.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the long-term cardiovascular risk in women who have conceived via ART.
• To provide evidence-based information for patient counseling on ART's cardiovascular safety.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review and meta-analysis of studies on ART and long-term cardiovascular outcomes.
• Searched MEDLINE, Embase, and Cochrane Library up to January 2026.
• Pooled adjusted risk ratios (aRR) using random-effects models.

Main Results:

• Thirteen studies included 553,331 ART patients and 37,826,591 spontaneously conceived patients, all with live births.
• ART was associated with a small, non-significant increase in cardiovascular disease risk (aRR 1.13, 95% CI 0.99-1.29) after excluding short follow-up studies.
• No significant associations found for cardiac complications, stroke, hypertension, or venous thrombosis.

Conclusions:

• Women achieving live birth via ART do not exhibit an elevated long-term cardiovascular risk.
• Findings support the long-term cardiovascular safety of ART for successful pregnancies.
• Further research is needed for women not achieving live birth.