Ovarian cancer is a growing mass of cells in the ovaries that grow around the end of the fallopian tube. There are varied causes of ovarian cancer, and it is difficult to identify the actual cause. With the increase in fertility issues, there is a rise in fertility treatments. Ovarian stimulation is an important aspect of fertility treatment, including fertility drugs containing hormones. This may result in side effects and higher risks of certain complications. There is a risk of ovarian cancer for women who undergo fertility treatments in the long run. Continue reading to understand the relationship between ovarian cancer risk and fertility treatment.
Earlier research concluded that fertility treatment increases the chance of ovarian cancer. However, in a recent study by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, it is evident that there are no signs of ovarian cancer in women who undergo fertility treatments like ovarian stimulation and IVF. It was falsely believed that the use of hormone-based medications for ovarian stimulation resulted in a higher risk of ovarian cancer. A new study performed in the Netherlands helped to clear the confusion on fertility treatment for ovarian cancer risk. Recent research results showed that there was no increased risk of ovarian cancer for women undergoing ovarian stimulation and other fertility treatments.
Ovarian stimulation plays a crucial role in treating fertility issues in women. The primary purpose of ovarian stimulation is to harvest high-quality eggs to be used for fertilisation during fertility procedures. Ovaries are usually stimulated with hormonal injections or medicines containing follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH) and luteinising hormones. This medication is injected 8-10 days after the first day of your menstrual cycle. It is mainly administered to harvest more eggs of better quality. There may be side effects when using hormonal medications for stimulating ovaries. Women who undergo repeated ovarian stimulation are at the risk of developing ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome that goes away on its own. There has been a misconception about the risk of ovarian cancer in women who undergo ovarian stimulation.
There is a risk of ovarian cancer and borderline ovarian tumours for infertile women who go for repeated ART procedures than women who are infertile and have lesser ART. Based on the latest research, there is no evidence of developing ovarian cancer due to IVF procedures. There are chances for infertile women who undergo fertility treatments to develop ovarian cancer. Other factors include the number of children women give birth to and how long they breastfeed. There are conflicting results when studying ovarian cancer risk treatment in women who opt for IVF, as the risk of ovarian cancer was high in women groups who undergo IVF.
Fertility drugs used for treating fertility issues may increase the chance of ovarian cancer. Prolonged intake of certain fertility medicines is likely to increase the odds of developing ovarian-related cancer in women.
● Clomid: This fertility drug is mostly used in most fertility treatments. It is a primary drug used along with IVF procedures. Researches reveal that this drug may increase the chances of ovarian cancer. There is a high risk of ovarian cancer in women who use Clomid for more than 1 year.
● Hormonal Drugs: Hormones, including follicle-stimulating hormones (FSH), Luteinising hormone, and Progesterone hormone, are usually injected during fertility treatment and can increase the chance of ovarian cancer.
● Gonadotrophins: Previous studies suggest that the use of gonadotrophins along with Clomid for treating ovulation disorders can increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
The research findings on the link between fertility drugs and ovarian cancer are contradictory. The majority of women who are administered the above fertility treatment do not develop ovarian cancer.
It is not possible to ascertain if infertility and ovarian cancer are associated. The ovulation cycle increases for women who do not get pregnant, this increases the risk of ovarian cancer. Pregnancy and contraceptive pills reduce the ovulation cycle reducing the risk of ovarian cancer. It is also said that failed attempts at fertility treatments in women can increase the likelihood of ovarian cancer later in their life. This is attributed to the use of fertility drugs and hormonal injections, leading to adverse side effects. Women with infertility or childless are more likely to get affected by ovarian cancer.
Researchers concluded that women who undergo ART are at a higher risk of developing ovarian cancer or tumours only when the ART procedure fails. Women undergoing fertility treatments but are still childless are at higher risk of ovarian cancer. Research reveals that women who give birth to multiple children after ART are at a lowered risk of developing ovarian and other related cancers. Thus there is a risk of cancer in women with infertility. Getting pregnant after an IVF procedure reduces the risk of ovarian cancer. Thus giving birth serves as a protective factor to reduce the risk of ovarian cancer
With the rise in fertility issues, study reveals that there is an increased risk of malignant ovarian cancer and tumours in women. Fertility treatments do not directly increase the likelihood of ovarian cancer. However, the use of fertility drugs can lead to certain side effects related to ovarian health. Women undergoing repeated failed IVF attempts and multiple ovarian stimulations may be at a high risk of IVF ovarian cancer risk. Women with no children after repeated IVF failures reduce the likelihood of ovarian cancer.
There is a higher risk of ovarian cancer for couples who have no children after fertility treatments. The hormones used in fertility treatments can be a cause of ovarian cancer.
Fertility drugs are administered to women to improve ovulation. The hormones present in fertility drugs may increase the risk of ovarian cancer.
