Among millions of people who gave birth, those who used infertility treatment had a 66% increased associated risk of having a stroke within a year after their delivery, according to NIH-supported research that published in JAMA Network Open.
Researchers reviewed data from more than 31 million people who gave birth. Among these individuals, 287,813 (less than 1%) used infertility treatment to conceive. Of those who used infertility treatment, 105 experienced a stroke within a year after giving birth compared to 9,027 people who conceived naturally. For every 100,000 patients who gave birth, 37 who used infertility treatment had a stroke compared to 29 who did not use infertility treatment.
The authors shared that more research is needed to understand factors that may account for these differences. They also note that individuals who used infertility treatment could benefit from working with a physician to monitor their risks for stroke after pregnancy. Common risk factors include pregnancy complications related to high blood pressure as well as having obesity or diabetes.