[Medical evaluation prior to fertility treatment--time for reconsideration?].
The aim of modern obstetrics is to bring a healthy child to a healthy mother. Preconception counseling is a form of preventive medicine that consists of three main components: risk assessment, health promotion and intervention, in order to improve pregnancy outcome. A large proportion of women, who need assisted reproductive technologies (ART) due to infertility, are older than the average pregnant women. The risk for chronic maternal disease such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, chronic hypertension, cardiovascular diseases and malignant disease greatly increases with maternal age. Chronic maternal illness might increase the risk of in vitro fertilization procedure and is also associated with increased obstetrics risk and even death. A previous study has shown that most maternal deaths in the USA, due to chronic maternal disease, are potentially preventable through better medical care from preconception, yet most studies that deal with preconception care in infertility patients only address the problems of infertility. Therefore, similar to the recommendations of the American Heart Association before non-competitive physical activity, and the American Society of Anesthesiologists before an elective surgery, we suggest a pre-ART medical assessment. Our objective is to outline the potential risks for older women who undergo ART procedure and potentially, pregnancy, and to characterize guidelines for evaluation prior to enrolling them in ART programs. Pre-ART assessment should include a thorough medical questionnaire and medical examination. Appropriate treatment for women with medical conditions prior to ART procedure and optimizing disease control in preparation for pregnancy including changing a potentially teratogenic treatment, can improve women's health status prior to pregnancy and reduce pregnancy related complications. At the end of the evaluation, and before ART treatment, the women should be consulted, based on the results of tests, on the possible risks that might accompany the ART procedure, pregnancy and delivery.