Researchers tackle intersection of fertility treatment and cardiovascular health

Infertility is a growing problem that affects an estimated one in six Canadian individuals. The use of fertility treatment is also growing. Assisted reproductive technology (ART)—the most common of which is in-vitro fertilization (IVF)— offers hope to thousands of Canadian couples each year.

However, despite their mainstream use, experts know very little about the long-term impacts of ART on the cardiovascular health of mothers and their children. It’s a concern, because other hormone-based treatments, such as contraception use and menopausal hormone therapy, are known to impact cardiovascular health. 

Fertility and pregnancy are also important considerations when it comes to cardiovascular health. These female-specific reproductive factors all have one thing in common: they are intricately linked with sex hormones. 

Elaha Niazi, a fourth-year student in the University of Calgary’s Health Sciences program, along with her supervisor Dr. Sandra Dumanski, MD, recently examined what science has revealed about the cardiovascular implications of ART. Their review, published in a special edition of the Canadian Journal of Cardiology Open focusing on women’s cardiovascular health, revealed more work needs to be done in this area.  

“Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death of females globally,” says Niazi. “We know that women of childbearing age are the only group experiencing an increase in the rate of cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular-related hospitalization. This may be, in part, related to female sex-related cardiovascular risk factors that are specific to premenopausal women. These factors have been overlooked for quite some time, which is why further research in this area is so critical.” 

Niazi notes the findings don’t suggest women should avoid ART, but merely that more scientific investigation is needed to empower women with the knowledge they need to make informed choices for their health. 

When asked why this area has been neglected, Niazi says, “cardiovascular health in females in general hasn’t been a priority for researchers, because cardiovascular disease has traditionally been considered a disease of men. And with ART being relatively new—only becoming mainstream in the mid 1980s—the cardiovascular implications of this procedure are just not something that have been thoroughly investigated. As we learn more and more about the importance of cardiovascular health in females, and especially younger females, the significance of work like this is clearly highlighted.”

Niazi is excited to make a difference in this area along with her supervisor, Dr Sandra Dumanski, MD. She works alongside IVF patients and care providers in her ongoing research at the University of Calgary to directly examine the cardiometabolic implications of ART in study participants being treated with IVF. This work is helping answer key questions. 

“The intersection of cardiovascular and female reproductive health is really interesting to me,” says Niazi. “It’s a big research gap that really needs to be filled.” 

Click here to learn more about how the Libin Cardiovascular Institute is tackling women’s cardiovascular health.