Follicle Stimulation Blog

Ovarian Tumors May Develop Years After Fertility Therapy

Posted 27 Oct 2011 by Drugs.com

THURSDAY, Oct. 27 – Women who undergo ovarian stimulation to produce extra eggs for in-vitro fertilization (IVF) are at increased risk for a type of growth known as "borderline ovarian tumors," new research suggests. Borderline ovarian tumors are typically not aggressive, according to the U.S. National Cancer Institute. Even if the tumor does spread, the vast majority of women survive borderline ovarian tumors. Even so, treating borderline ovarian tumors can require extensive surgery, explained lead researcher Flora van Leeuwen, head of the epidemiology department in The Netherlands Cancer Institute. For the study, researchers examined data from over 19,000 infertile women in the Netherlands who underwent ovarian stimulation prior to IVF and about 6,000 infertile women who did not undergo IVF. After 15 years of follow-up, the women who underwent ovarian stimulation were four times more ... Read more

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