Knowledge | Female infertility may signal hidden cardiovascular risk, especially in younger women and IVF patients
A large Greek study presented at the inaugural 2025 joint meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) found that women with a history of infertility face a significantly higher future risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly those under 40 and those who have received assisted reproductive treatment.
Led by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the study systematically reviewed data from 21 studies involving 178,800 women with infertility and 3,398,800 women without infertility. The analysis found:
Women with a history of infertility had a 14% higher risk of developing any cardiovascular disease;
Their risk of heart disease was 17% higher and their risk of stroke was 16% higher;
Women with infertility under age 40 had a 20% higher cardiovascular risk;
Even without considering age, assisted reproductive technology such as IVF was associated with a 4% increase in risk.
This is one of the largest and most comprehensive meta-analyses to date on female infertility and cardiovascular health.
Infertility is not just a short-term issue; it may be an early warning sign for heart health
“We hope doctors will include infertility in assessments of women’s long-term health risks,” said study lead and endocrinologist Dr. Elena Armeni. “It is not only a fertility issue; it may also be an early warning sign for heart health.”
Dr. Armeni noted that although some previous studies did not confirm a strong link between infertility and cardiovascular disease, this analysis selected rigorous, large, high-quality studies and conducted multiple sensitivity analyses based on age and treatment type, making the findings more robust.
The potential cost of assisted reproduction may extend beyond pregnancy
Although modern Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has greatly improved pregnancy rates among women with infertility, its long-term health effects still warrant attention.
“Our analysis found that women who received ART also had a higher future cardiovascular risk,” Dr. Armeni said. “Although the increase was smaller than that associated with age, it suggests a need to investigate whether hormone therapy, ovarian stimulation, metabolic stress, and other interventions may affect the cardiovascular system.”
Next step: tracking long-term heart health in women with infertility
The team plans longer prospective follow-up studies to clarify the mechanisms linking different types of infertility, such as ovulatory disorders, polycystic ovaries, and uterine factors, with cardiovascular disease.
“We will establish a scientifically rigorous prospective research model,” Dr. Armeni said. “We will assess not only whether women with infertility are more likely to develop heart disease or stroke, but also the roles of infertility causes and treatment methods.”
She added: “Our ultimate goal is to promote new women’s health prevention and treatment guidelines that recognize reproductive history as an important long-term health indicator, enable earlier and more precise intervention, and help women protect their cardiovascular health as well as plan for pregnancy.”
Knowledge | Female infertility may signal hidden cardiovascular risk, especially in younger women and IVF patients
Knowledge | Female infertility may signal hidden cardiovascular risk, especially in younger women and IVF patients
A large Greek study presented at the inaugural 2025 joint meeting of the European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE) and the European Society of Endocrinology (ESE) found that women with a history of infertility face a significantly higher future risk of cardiovascular disease, particularly those under 40 and those who have received assisted reproductive treatment.
Led by the National and Kapodistrian University of Athens, the study systematically reviewed data from 21 studies involving 178,800 women with infertility and 3,398,800 women without infertility. The analysis found:
Women with a history of infertility had a 14% higher risk of developing any cardiovascular disease;
Their risk of heart disease was 17% higher and their risk of stroke was 16% higher;
Women with infertility under age 40 had a 20% higher cardiovascular risk;
Even without considering age, assisted reproductive technology such as IVF was associated with a 4% increase in risk.
This is one of the largest and most comprehensive meta-analyses to date on female infertility and cardiovascular health.
Infertility is not just a short-term issue; it may be an early warning sign for heart health
“We hope doctors will include infertility in assessments of women’s long-term health risks,” said study lead and endocrinologist Dr. Elena Armeni. “It is not only a fertility issue; it may also be an early warning sign for heart health.”
Dr. Armeni noted that although some previous studies did not confirm a strong link between infertility and cardiovascular disease, this analysis selected rigorous, large, high-quality studies and conducted multiple sensitivity analyses based on age and treatment type, making the findings more robust.
The potential cost of assisted reproduction may extend beyond pregnancy
Although modern Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has greatly improved pregnancy rates among women with infertility, its long-term health effects still warrant attention.
“Our analysis found that women who received ART also had a higher future cardiovascular risk,” Dr. Armeni said. “Although the increase was smaller than that associated with age, it suggests a need to investigate whether hormone therapy, ovarian stimulation, metabolic stress, and other interventions may affect the cardiovascular system.”
Next step: tracking long-term heart health in women with infertility
The team plans longer prospective follow-up studies to clarify the mechanisms linking different types of infertility, such as ovulatory disorders, polycystic ovaries, and uterine factors, with cardiovascular disease.
“We will establish a scientifically rigorous prospective research model,” Dr. Armeni said. “We will assess not only whether women with infertility are more likely to develop heart disease or stroke, but also the roles of infertility causes and treatment methods.”
She added: “Our ultimate goal is to promote new women’s health prevention and treatment guidelines that recognize reproductive history as an important long-term health indicator, enable earlier and more precise intervention, and help women protect their cardiovascular health as well as plan for pregnancy.”
Story source:
Collected online