IVF, Egg Donation, and Women's Health

To date, more than one million babies have been born worldwide as a result of IVF and in 2003 U.S fertility clinics reported 112,872 IVF cycles. Although there has been considerable medical literature exploring the possible health effects of in vitro fertilization to babies born from this technology, the potential health risks to the women who undergo this process have been less extensively studied.

This paper explores what is and what is not known about the risks of ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval, for both a prospective mother and a prospective egg donor. However, as this white paper describes, more conclusive data about the risks of ovarian stimulation and oocyte retrieval to women are needed.

Pew is no longer active in this line of work, but for more information, visit the Genetics & Public Policy Center Web site or visit the Genetics and Public Policy Centeron PewHealth.org.