Fertility and pregnancy aspects in Turner syndrome

Abstract

In Turner syndrome, about a third of the diagnosed girls undergoes at least some pubertal development, and up to 5% are fertile. About 50% of Turner syndrome girls have follicles in their ovaries. The likelihood to have them is highest among mosaic Turner syndrome girls who have signs of spontaneous puberty, but also 25% of the non-mosaic Turner girls have them. Hence, cryopreservation of ovarian cortical tissue for infertility treatment in the future is possible. Oocyte donation is an effective option for Turner Syndrome women to obtain children. Pregnancy rates of 30–60% per embryo transfer have been reported. Single embryo transfer is a requirement, because twin pregnancies bear higher risk of pre-eclampsia and impaired glucose tolerance, and Turner women are already a high risk group for such problems. To avoid complications during pregnancies, a cardiology control including magnetic resonance imaging has to be carried out before planned pregnancies.