Treatment for infertility is not truly a high-risk situation in and of itself. But there are some aspects of infertility treatment that may lead to additional risks in a pregnancy.

By far the greatest risk associated with infertility treatment is a pregnancy with twins, triplets, or even more fetuses. As explained in the chapter on multiple gestation, these pregnancies are at risk for preeclampsia, fetal growth problems, and premature delivery. Multiple gestation occurs more commonly when in vitro fertilization procedures insert more than 1 or 2 embryos. By far the greatest risk for multiple gestation, however, occurs when fertility drugs such as Pergonal, or to a lesser extent Clomid, are given without proper monitoring of the number of stimulated eggs by ultrasound.

Women who undergo infertility treatment tend to be older as well, and maternal age alone is associated with a higher incidence of miscarriage, chromosomal abnormalities in the baby, gestational diabetes, hypertension and preeclampsia, and placenta previa.

There is also some evidence that embryos implanted through in vitro fertilization may be more likely to exhibit growth problems or some congenital defects, but this evidence is weak. Most authorities believe that there is very little if any risk of fetal abnormalities from infertility treatments.