HEALTH

Does getting pregnant via ART really boost the cancer risk?

Sat Feb 08 2025
What is the deal with assisted reproductive technology? ART, or assisted reproductive technology, is a big help to building families. But how much of a threat is it, really? The idea is to give those who can't have children on their own a chance. These people are called subfertile. First, let's talk numbers. In the last few decades, a lot of progress has been made in ART. But scientists have looked at women who had ART treatment between 1983 and 2001 to see if there's a higher risk of endometrial cancer. In case you were wondering, that kind of cancer is actually pretty rare in general. But a lot of treatments have side effects. Is the same true for ART? If you're thinking only about the impact of age oncancer risk. Then you would know the older you are, the more likely you are to get endometrial cancer. It is more common among women who have never been pregnant and have a family history of the cancer. That raises eyebrows. So, could ART play a role? Now let's look at the big picture. Scientists found no clear connection between ART and a higher risk of endometrial cancer. Compared to the general population and even to women who had trouble conceiving naturally, the risk didn't seem to change. And what about those people who had ART? There's no need to panic. It seems ART doesn't up the stakes for getting endometrial cancer. So why all the hype then? The idea of this research is to lift the burden of uncertainty. Let's not forget that the risks connected to ART are not just about getting endometrial cancer. It is important to weigh them against the benefits. And who is really at risk? A lot of the time, it's those who would have trouble getting pregnant naturally anyway. So, next time you think about why you might be worried about ART, remember: it's not just about cancer. Age, genetics, and overall health matter just as much, maybe more. And always remember that progress comes with a mix of good and bad.