Maternal Cardiovascular Adaption to Pregnancy in IVF Patients Following Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET)

The use of programmed frozen embryo transfer cycle (FET) in IVF women is associated with an increased risk of obstetric complications (pregnancy-induced hypertension, preeclampsia, postpartum hemorrhage and placenta accreta) compared to FET in natural cycle.

The lack of corpus luteum in programmed cycles and the subsequent absence of circulating vasoactive substances may lead to an impaired cardio-vascular adaption to pregnancy and thereby an increased risk of pregnancy-induced hypertension and preeclampsia.

The cardiovascular and metabolic adaption to pregnancy is evaluated throughout pregnancy by use of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) as well as non-invasive measurements by use of elastography and seismocardiography.

Patients are screened for preeclampsia throughout pregnancy with measurements of blood pressure, urine samples as well as blood samples.

Inclusion criteria

• Autologous embryo transfer in programmed FET-cycle or modified-natural FET-cycle or
• Planned donor egg transfer in programmed FET-cycle or modified-natural FET-cycle
• Age < 40 years
• BMI < 35
• Primary diagnosis being unexplained infertility, male infertility or tubal factor
• Singleton blastocyst transfer

Exclusion criteria

• PCOS
• Essential hypertension
• Diabetes Mellitus (type 1 or 2)
• Known cardiac disease
• Antiphospholipid syndrome, Lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid disease
• Preelampsia, gestational hypertension, gestational diabetes or severe intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) in any previous pregnancy
• Smoking
• Multiple pregnancy
• Severe claustrophobia or any other contraindications to MRI