Key takeaways
- IVF pregnancies carry slightly higher risk of preterm birth and placental issues.
- A key question is whether this comes from treatment or underlying subfertility.
- Women with subfertility also had elevated risk, even without IVF.
- This suggests subfertility itself, not just IVF, contributes to pregnancy risk.
- Genea Perth contributed to this large Australian population study.
What we already know about IVF pregnancy risk
It is well established that pregnancies achieved through IVF (in vitro fertilisation) carry a slightly higher risk of certain complications, such as preterm birth and placental problems, compared with naturally conceived pregnancies. This is a well documented pattern across fertility research, and it is something fertility specialists discuss with patients as part of informed treatment planning.
What has been less clear is why. Is this increased risk something caused by the IVF process itself, such as laboratory conditions or the way embryos are transferred? Or does it come from something else entirely, the underlying subfertility that led a person to need treatment in the first place?
This is an important distinction. If the risk comes mainly from the IVF process, that points research and clinical attention toward laboratory and treatment protocols. If the risk instead reflects underlying fertility challenges, it suggests the biology of subfertility itself deserves more attention and understanding, separate from any treatment pathway.
The question this study set out to answer
This large Australian population study set out to help separate these two possible explanations. It included Genea Perth among its contributing centres, alongside a wider population dataset, allowing the researchers to compare outcomes across different groups of women, not just those who conceived through IVF.
Rather than only comparing IVF pregnancies to naturally conceived pregnancies, the study also looked at women who conceived through ovulation induction (a fertility treatment that does not involve IVF), and women who were subfertile but went on to conceive naturally without treatment. Comparing across these different groups is what allows this study to help tease apart the role of treatment itself from the role of underlying subfertility.
What the study found
The study found that women who conceived through ovulation induction, and women who were subfertile but conceived naturally without any fertility treatment, also had elevated pregnancy risks compared with fully fertile women. Importantly, these groups had not undergone IVF at all.
This finding matters because it suggests that at least part of the pregnancy risk associated with IVF is not unique to the IVF process itself. Instead, subfertility, the underlying reason a person needed fertility treatment in the first place, appears to contribute meaningfully to pregnancy risk on its own.
What this means for understanding pregnancy risk
This research helps build a more complete picture. Rather than viewing IVF itself as the sole driver of increased pregnancy risk, this study suggests that the biological factors underlying subfertility play a genuine, independent role. This does not mean IVF carries no additional risk considerations of its own, but it does mean the picture is more nuanced than looking at IVF outcomes in isolation.
Understanding this distinction matters for how fertility specialists counsel and monitor patients throughout pregnancy, and for how future research is directed toward improving outcomes, whether that means refining treatment protocols, improving understanding of subfertility itself, or both.
Genea Perth Fertility's contribution to this large scale population research reflects our broader commitment to research that improves understanding of fertility and pregnancy outcomes, not just within our own clinics, but across the wider field.
What this means for you
If you are undergoing or considering fertility treatment, this research offers useful context rather than cause for concern. It helps explain that some of the pregnancy risk factors associated with fertility treatment may already be part of your individual fertility profile, rather than something introduced solely by treatment itself.
Your fertility specialist and obstetric care team will continue to monitor your pregnancy closely regardless of how you conceived, and can talk you through what is relevant to your specific circumstances, including any factors that may affect your pregnancy care plan.
FAQs
References
- Hansen, M., Hart, R. J., Milne, E., Bower, C., Walls, M. L., Yovich, J. L., Burton, P., Liu, Y., Barblett, H., & Kemp-Casey, A. (2024). Ovulation induction and subfertile untreated conception groups offer improved options for interpreting risks associated with ART. Journal of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics, 41, 915-928. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-024-03060-6
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