Higher IVF success rates at clinics reporting more data

Success rates for IVF are higher at clinics that shared more information than required by government regulators, researchers at the University of Colorado have reported.

The review of data reported from 2014 to 2017, compared the rates of pregnancy, live birth, good birth outcome and IVF cancellations between clinics that reported more information than required by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and clinics that reported the minimum amount of information required. 

Dr Alex Polotsky from the department of obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of Colorado, and first author of the review, 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 a healthy baby.'

In the review presented at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine's annual meeting on 18 October 2020, Dr Polotsky and his team compared the outcomes at clinics that report the minimum data required by the CDC and those clinics that share more information through a professional organisation, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART).

They found that clinics reporting more data had higher rates of success in achieving pregnancy and birth via IVF. They also reported that cancellation rates were higher in the clinics that adhered to the higher transparency standards set by SART, suggesting that these clinics report higher success rates because they only move forward with treatment where the predicted outcome is promising.

'This shows that it is better for patients when clinics share more information that is easier to understand', said Dr Polotsky.

The findings highlight the importance of transparency in improving health outcomes and the quality of care received by patients.