Risks Of Pregnancy Through Egg Donor

It was thought that only women over the age of 50 who become pregnant through egg donation are at risk for developing complications but recent study sheds a different light. A new study by the Colombia University Medical Center was published in the February 2012 issue of the American Journal of Perinatology. According to this study, younger women are also at risk after an egg donation pregnancy just like their older counterparts.

There are several risks of getting pregnant after this procedure; hypertension, premature birth, gestational diabetes and placenta abnormalities are just some of the most common complications.

This may be the largest single-center study ever made to determine the risks of becoming pregnant after egg donation. The authors of the research, Mark V. Sauer, MD; Daniel H. Kort, MD; and colleagues, studied 101 women who were aged 50 and over and compared the results with women who had the same condition but were age 42 and younger. The study evaluated the following significant differences among these two groups: differences in perinatal complications, gestational age at delivery, the baby’s birth weight and the mode of delivery. All the women had their fertility treatment at Columbia University Center for Reproductive Care, their perinatal care and their delivery took place elsewhere.

The results of the study proved that both older and younger women had similar rates of gestational hypertension, were all at risk for developing diabetes, caesarean delivery and were also at risk for premature delivery.

There may be many social and ethical issues that surround egg donation pregnancy the study however showed a high success rate and safety in pregnancies for women who are well cared-for.

Related reviews