Frozen embryos linked to increased risk of hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, study finds
IVF using frozen embryos is linked to a higher risk of preeclampsia compared with using fresh embryos or conceiving naturally, new research finds.
Undergoing in vitro fertilization using frozen embryos is linked to a greater risk of hypertensive disorders, including preeclampsia, during pregnancy, according to research published Monday in the journal Hypertension.
While the link between frozen embryo transfers and elevated blood pressure is not new, the research, which included data on millions of women in Norway, provides a clearer understanding of the risk. The study was also the largest to date that included data on women who had multiple pregnancies.
Overall, the risk of hypertensive disorders was low: about 7.4% in women who used frozen embryos, compared with 5.6% in women who used fresh embryos and 4.3% for women who conceived naturally.
Interested in freezing your eggs? What you need to knowMarch 7, 201906:13But when the researchers adjusted for other factors that could cause hypertensive disorders during pregnancy, such as age, existing high blood pressure and obesity, they found that the risk was about 74% higher when frozen embryos were used, compared with IVF using fresh embryos or a naturally conceived pregnancy. In addition, they found, there was no significant difference in risk between the women who conceived naturally and those who did IVF using fresh embryos.
About 75% of the women who developed hypertensive disorders in the study developed preeclampsia, marked by severely high blood pressure along with signs of liver or kidney damage after the 20th week of pregnancy. It can be deadly if untreated.
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