Assisted Reproduction: What Are the Real Risks to Women's Health

"When discussing hormonal therapies related to Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) treatments, women sometimes express concerns about the possible effects on their health, including the risk of developing cancer," explains Dr. Mario Mignini Renzini.

"These treatments are often mistakenly referred to as "hormonal bombardment," a term that reflects widespread fears but does not accurately represent the nature or effects of the hormonal stimulation therapies used today. These treatments are not only safe but also tailored to the individual medical history of each patient.

When couples express doubts, I first explain that infertility itself is already a risk factor for certain types of cancer, such as breast, endometrial, and ovarian cancer."

Scientific Studies That Disprove a Link Between ART and Cancer

"The vast number of scientific studies on this topic demonstrate that there is no significant risk of developing these cancers as a result of fertility treatments," continues Dr. Mignini Renzini.

Specifically, a study published in the British Medical Journal ruled out the possibility that women undergoing ART treatments have a higher likelihood than others of developing breast, uterine, or ovarian cancer.

To reach this conclusion, researchers analyzed data from over 255,000 women who underwent ART procedures in the UK between 1991 and 2010. By cross-referencing this registry with the number of new cancer diagnoses recorded over an average follow-up period of eight years, they found no increased risk of invasive breast cancer or uterine cancer.

What Factors Actually Influence Cancer Risk?

"When discussing the risk of developing cancer, in women who have undergone one or more cycles of assisted reproduction, other factors can also play a role, such as:

• Family history
• Smoking
• Diet
• Obesity
• The woman's age at the time of treatment

For these reasons, one essential aspect of safeguarding a patient's overall health is to follow a regular schedule of preventive check-ups, allowing for early detection and timely intervention in case of any emerging conditions," concludes Dr. Mignini Renzini.

"Another common fear related to assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments is the risk of early menopause. However, it is important to clarify this issue and dispel this false myth," explains Dr. Lucia Maragno, Specialist in Gynecology and Obstetrics at the Biogenesis Reproductive Medicine Center of the Istituti Clinici Zucchi in Monza.

A woman's reproductive ability is a complex mechanism regulated by numerous factors and, like the rest of the body, subject to aging. Each woman is born with a reserve of oocytes (an average of 2 million), which gradually decreases in both quantity and quality throughout her reproductive life, without regenerating.

When the ovarian reserve is depleted, the complex hormonal cycle that supports reproduction comes to an end, leading to menopause.

"The factors that determine the timing of menopause, explains Dr. Maragno, are:

• The number of oocytes at birth
• The rate at which they decrease
• The minimum number of oocytes required for the menstrual cycle"

"Every month, a woman’s body initiates the maturation and growth of several oocytes, but only one is selected to fully mature," explains Dr. Maragno.

"Hormonal therapy, on the other hand, allows for the simultaneous maturation of all the recruited oocytes, including those that would not have completed the maturation process on their own.

Therefore, there is no risk of prematurely depleting a woman’s natural ovarian follicular reserve or inducing early menopause. The oocytes that mature due to ART treatments are the same ones that would have been lost during a normal menstrual cycle."