IVF Drugs (potentially) Linked to Leukemia in Children

The British newspaper, The Telegraph, published a slightly alarmist article whose headline screams about a link between fertility drugs and childhood cancer. However the body of the article is a bit more accurate than the headline, as it reveals the still tenuous nature of that link. The story is about new French research which does suggest that there may be an increase in the likelihood of such leukemias among women using such pharmaceuticals but goes on to say that even if this is proven as a risk factor that the actual increase is relatively small. 

. . . French researchers will tell a conference in London today they believe there is an association between the use of ovarian stimulation drugs and two types of childhood leukaemia.

Specifically, they have calculated that their use is associated with a 2.6-fold increase in the risk of developing the most common form of childhood leukaemia, called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and a 2.3-fold increase in the risk of developing a rarer type, called acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

However, French researchers will tell a conference in London today they believe there is an association between the use of ovarian stimulation drugs and two types of childhood leukaemia.Specifically, they have calculated that their use is associated with a 2.6-fold increase in the risk of developing the most common form of childhood leukaemia, called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL), and a 2.3-fold increase in the risk of developing a rarer type, called acute myeloid leukaemia (AML).

From the perspective of acupuncture and Chinese medicine, as well as the fertility work that we do at the Northside Holistic Center this is quite interesting and wouldn't be too surprising. We counsel our patients to carefully research fertility drugs before using them and encourage them to solely use our methods before resorting to the more drastic Western interventions which may have future negative ramifications. However we also understand that there is a place for such drugs either when time is a factor or when more conservative, natural interventions alone have not been enough. In that case, we work with the client to minimize any damage that these powerful drugs may be causing in her body.