IVF clinics that report more outcomes data have higher success rates
In vitro fertilization clinics that reported more outcomes data than what is legally required have higher success rates, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.
“Nobody had compared clinics that adhered to higher standards of transparency,” Alex J. Polotsky, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the division of advanced reproductive medicine at the University of Colorado School of Medicine, said in a press release. “This shows that it is better for patients when clinics share more information that is easier to understand.”
Polotsky and colleagues compared the success rates of IVF clinics that reported the minimum outcomes data mandated by the CDC with those of clinics that shared more outcomes data through the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART), which has a voluntary reporting platform for member clinics to provide additional cycle-specific public information. The organization reports its members’ data to the CDC to avoid duplication.
Guideline changes were made to SART in 2015 and the CDC in 2016, so the researchers compared outcomes between the clinics before and after these changes were made.
Polotsky and colleagues determined that clinics reporting to SART had higher IVF cancellation rates. They said this finding indicates that the procedure would only move forward at these facilities if there was a higher likelihood for success.
The researchers also determined that in fresh embryo cycles, SART member clinics had lower pregnancy rates than clinics that only reported to the CDC between 2014 and 2016. However, pregnancy rates were higher among SART member clinics for frozen embryo cycles compared with clinics that only reported to the CDC during that time.
Polotsky and colleagues found that similarly, SART member clinics had lower birth rates for fresh cycles, but higher birth rates for frozen cycles in 2015-2016.
When fresh and frozen embryo success rates were combined in 2017, the researchers found that SART member clinics had higher success rates compared with clinics that only reported to the CDC.
“It was stunning to see the difference,” Polotsky said. “The data showed that clinics with high transparency had greater success. When you go to a clinic with high transparency, it means you are much more likely to have healthy baby.”
References:
Polotsky, et al. P-377. Presented at: American Society for Reproductive Medicine: Oct. 17-21, 2020. (Virtual).