New research suggests that women who experience infertility but choose not to pursue fertility treatments may face an elevated risk of developing systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) in the years following a natural birth. This finding, published in the esteemed journal Human Reproduction, highlights a potential health concern for this population.
the study, conducted by researchers at the University of Toronto Scarborough, Canada, analyzed data from over half a million singleton births in Ontario, Canada, between 2012 and 2021. They discovered that women who experienced infertility but did not undergo fertility treatments had a higher likelihood of developing SARD within nine years after giving birth compared to women without infertility issues. This association remained important even after accounting for factors like pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, and stillbirth, which are often linked to infertility and it’s treatments.
“While previous research has shown that women wiht infertility often have unusual immune system activity, there was little research on how infertility might be linked to autoimmune diseases.Our team wanted to see if infertility was associated with future systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases among women who achieve a livebirth or stillbirth, while also accounting for adverse pregnancy outcomes that may occur around the time of the birth,” explained Dr. Natalie V. Scime, the study’s lead author.
“To put this in perspective, for every 10,000 women followed for nine years, there were an additional 11 cases of SARD among women with infertility who did not use fertility treatments compared to women without infertility.”
Dr. Natalie V. Scime
SARD are a group of rare but serious conditions where the immune system mistakenly attacks the body’s own tissues. These diseases, which primarily affect women during their reproductive years, can manifest in various ways, including inflammation of the joints, skin rashes, and organ damage.Examples include systemic lupus erythematosus, sjögren’s syndrome, and inflammatory myopathy.
The researchers emphasize that their findings shoudl raise awareness among healthcare professionals about the potential for undiagnosed or untreated SARD in women with a history of infertility. Early detection and management of these conditions are crucial for improving patient outcomes.
This study provides valuable insights into the long-term health implications of infertility and underscores the importance of thorough healthcare for women, particularly those who have experienced fertility challenges.
A new study has revealed a potential link between infertility and the advancement of systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) in women after childbirth. Researchers from the University of Adelaide in Australia analyzed data from a large population-based cohort study and found that women who experienced infertility were at an increased risk of developing SARD compared to women without infertility issues.
The study, published in the journal Human Reproduction, followed over 100,000 women for a year after giving birth.”We saw about nine new cases of SARD in women without infertility and 13 new cases in women with infertility who did not use fertility treatments,” explained Dr. Natalie Scime, lead author of the study.
Interestingly,the study found no increased risk of SARD in women who had used fertility treatments,such as ovulation-inducing medications or in vitro fertilization (IVF). “The fact that we found no increased risk of SARD in women who used fertility treatments compared to fertile women may be due to the ‘healthy patient’ effect,” Dr. Scime suggested.”Women who receive fertility treatments may come from more privileged backgrounds and might potentially be healthier overall than those without access to these treatments, which puts them at generally lower risk of SARD.”
Dr. Scime emphasized the importance of these findings for early detection and treatment of SARD.”These findings are significant because they suggest infertility may be an important risk marker for SARD in women who give birth. SARD can be tricky to diagnose, often taking years of untreated symptoms and multiple health care visits before a proper diagnosis is made. Early detection is crucial for preventing organ damage,improving treatment outcomes,and helping patients maintain the best quality of life possible. our work showed that infertility care presents an prospect for doctors to carefully screen women for rheumatic symptoms, such as unexplained fatigue, joint pain, or skin rashes, and overlapping gynecologic symptoms, such as sexual dysfunction, and start a diagnostic work-up or rheumatology referral where necessary,” she said.
While the study established an association between infertility and SARD, it’s important to note that it doesn’t prove causation. “Infertility can have a variety of causes like endometriosis, abnormalities in female reproductive anatomy and advanced maternal age. We didn’t have detailed details on these causes of infertility in our dataset, which may have been critically important for understanding our results,” Dr. Scime acknowledged.
The researchers also highlighted the need for further research to explore the specific causes of infertility that may be more strongly associated with SARD risk and to investigate the potential biological pathways linking SARD and female fertility.
Associate Professor Hilary Brown, who supervised the research, added, “Our study highlights several ideas for future research, such as exploring whether specific causes of infertility are more strongly associated with SARD risk, and investigating the potential biological pathways through which disease processes in SARD might impact female fertility.”
## Infertility and Increased Risk of Autoimmune Disease: An Interview with Dr. Natalie V. Scime
**World Today News:** Dr.Scime, thank you for joining us to discuss your engaging new research published in *Human Reproduction*. Your study sheds light on a possibly significant health risk for women who have experienced infertility. Can you explain teh key findings for our readers?
**Dr. Scime:** Certainly. Our research focused on the potential link between infertility and the development of systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases (SARD) in women. We analyzed data from over half a million singleton births in Ontario, Canada, over a nine-year period.
What we discovered was that women who experienced infertility but chose not to pursue fertility treatments had a higher likelihood of developing SARD within nine years after giving birth, compared to women without a history of infertility. This association remained even after we accounted for factors like pre-eclampsia, preterm birth, and stillbirth, which are often linked to infertility and its treatments.
**World Today News:** that’s quite a significant finding. Coudl you elaborate on the implications?
**Dr. Scime:** To put this in perspective, for every 10,000 women followed for nine years, there were 11 additional cases of SARD among women with infertility who did not use fertility treatments compared to women without infertility.
This finding suggests that infertility itself, self-reliant of fertility treatments or pregnancy complications, might potentially be associated with an increased risk of developing these autoimmune conditions.This raises important awareness among healthcare professionals about the potential for undiagnosed or untreated SARD in women with a history of infertility.
**World Today News:**
What message do you hope this research conveys to women who have experienced infertility?
**Dr. Scime:** First and foremost, I want to emphasize that this research doesn’t mean every woman who experiences infertility will develop SARD. However, it highlights the importance of awareness and continued health monitoring after childbirth, especially for women with a history of infertility.
If you have experienced infertility, it’s vital to have open conversations with your doctor about your health concerns and any potential for autoimmune conditions. Early detection and management of SARD are crucial for improving patient outcomes and overall well-being.
**World today News:**
Thank you,Dr. Scime, for sharing your expertise and shedding light on this important topic.
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