IVF success rates higher at clinics that provide more outcomes data

AURORA, Colo. (Oct. 18, 2020) – Success rates for in vitro fertilization are higher at clinics that voluntarily share more information than required by government regulators, according to new research by faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine.

In a review of data reported between 2014 and 2017, CU researchers found that clinics that reported more data than required by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had higher rates of success in achieving pregnancy and birth.

“It was stunning to see the difference,” said Alex J. Polotsky, MD, professor of obstetrics and gynecology in the Division of Advance Reproductive Medicine at CU. “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.”

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

The review compared rates of pregnancy, live birth, good birth outcome, and cases when the IVF cycle is cancelled. The cancellation rates were higher at the clinics meeting the higher transparency standards required by SART, indicating that the procedure moves forward when the likelihood for success is higher. SART posts national data and reports from member clinics on its website.

“Nobody had compared clinics that adhered to higher standards of transparency,” said Polotsky, who is the medical director for CU Advanced Reproductive Medicine. “This shows that it is better for patients when clinics share more information that is easier to understand.”

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In addition to Polotsky, CU researchers involved in the review are Thanh Ha Luu, MD, instructor/fellow of obstetrics and gynecology, and Liesl Nel-Themaat, PhD, assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology. Tracy Truong, MB, of the Duke University School of Medicine Department of Biostatistics and Bioinformatics, also contributed to the review.

The link to the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Virtual Congress is

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About the University of Colorado School of Medicine

Faculty at the University of Colorado School of Medicine work to advance science and improve care. These faculty members include physicians, educators and scientists at UCHealth University of Colorado Hospital, Children’s Hospital Colorado, Denver Health, National Jewish Health, and the Veterans Affairs Eastern Colorado Health Care System. The school is located on the Anschutz Medical Campus, one of four campuses in the University of Colorado system.