A study published in the British Medical Journal says that there is no overall increase in the risk of ovarian cancer associated with the use of any IVF drug.
Researchers looked at 54 362 women referred to fertility clinics between 1963 and 1998. However, the warn that the women will all have to be monitored until they are older to make absolutely sure of the findings, because many of the women have not yet reached the age at which ovarian cancer is common.
In the study, of women who had been referred to all fertility clinics in Denmark, 156 developed ovarian cancer.
Over an average follow-up of 16 years, there was no increased ovarian cancer risk associated with four groups of fertility drugs looked at.
The researchers also found no increased risk among women who had undergone 10 or more cycles of treatment or among those who did not become pregnant.
However, there was a significant increase in risk of the most common serious type of ovarian cancer among women who had used the drug clomifene but the researchers said this was likely to be a chance association.
Results from other studies have been conflicting and there were particular concerns about women who undergo several cycles of treatment or who never get pregnant.
