New study looks at why people stop IVF

Many couples undergoing in IVF treatment give up before they conceive, a new Swedish study suggests. A team at the Sahlgrenska Hospital in Gothenburg surveyed 974 couples who were having IVF, and found that 242 discontinued the treatment. The reasons for dropping out were psychological as well as financial, say the researchers, who published their findings in the journal Fertility and Sterility.

More than half (54 per cent) of the couples who did not have a baby after one cycle of IVF decided not to continue with treatment, even though the Swedish health service will fund up to three attempts. Of these couples, 26 per cent dropped out for psychological reasons, while 15 per cent cited marital break-up. Of the remainder, 19 per cent conceived naturally, 25 per cent decided against another try because the chances of success were deemed too low, while 6 per cent were put off by the physical side-effects. Clare Brown, of Infertility UK, said that couples should be aware that IVF is demanding. 'Some will probably have been through treatment for years on end', she said, adding: 'It is very demanding treatment, physically and emotionally, and they may decide to call it a day'.

Suzi Leather, chair of the UK's Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), said: 'Most of these couples have already gone through a gamut of other fertility treatments, and they really believe this is going to sort it for them straight away', adding that 'there is an air of inflated expectation'.

The HFEA has published a new guide to infertility clinics in the UK, which includes case histories and information on infertility, as well as profiles of all HFEA-licensed clinics. 'It is extremely important that anyone seeking advice and help for infertility treatment has as much information and support as possible', said Ms Leather. The guide, entitled 'The HFEA Directory of Clinics' is freely available to download or order from the HFEA's website.