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Fertility management in the PCOS population: results of a web-based survey at IVF-worldwide.com

  • Assisted Reproduction Technologies
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

To identify the leading treatment strategies for infertile women with PCOS on an international scale.

Methods

A retrospective evaluation using the results of a web-based survey, (IVF-Worldwide (www.IVF-worldwide.com), posted from 1 to 30 September 2010 was performed. Binomial confidence intervals for proportions were calculated by the modified Wald method with significance defined as P < 0.05 using a DataStar software package (DataStar, Waltham, MA, USA). Incomplete surveys were excluded from the analysis.

Results

The results from 262 centers in 68 nations were obtained. Clomiphene citrate was the clear first choice, 68 %, for PCOS treatment in the respondent group. Eighty-eight percent of respondents utilized ultrasound follicular monitoring when conducting ovulation induction with oral medications. A significant (p < 0.05) proportion of respondents (66 %) did use some BMI cutoff beyond which IVF treatment was not offered. The preferred IVF protocols for PCOS patients were gonadotropin releasing hormone (GnRH) antagonist, 46 %, and GnRH agonist, 51 %. There was heterogeneity of responses observed regarding the management of a patient at very high risk of OHSS.

Conclusions

While some advances, such as the use of GnRH antagonist regimen in IVF cycles, were relatively underutilized, the survey gives an unfiltered snapshot at the practice patterns of a large number of clinics. Results from this survey may be used by researchers and professional organizations to improve the clinical care of PCOS women suffering with infertility.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Reproductive Genetics, Fertility Associates of Memphis, 80 Humpreys Center, Suite 307, Memphis, TN, 38120-2363, USA

    Paul R. Brezina

  2. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Virginia Mensah

  3. Leeds Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Seacroft Hospital, Leeds, UK

    Adam Balen

  4. IVF Centre, The Hong Kong Sanatorium and Hospital, Happy Valley, Hong Kong

    Milton Leong

  5. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Edith Wolfson Medical Center, Holon, Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, IVF Unit, Tel Aviv, Israel

    Ariel Weissman

  6. Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore, MD, USA

    Yulian Zhao

  7. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel

    Zeev Shoham

Authors
  1. Paul R. Brezina
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  2. Virginia Mensah
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  3. Adam Balen
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  4. Milton Leong
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  5. Ariel Weissman
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  6. Yulian Zhao
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  7. Zeev Shoham
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Corresponding author

Correspondence to Paul R. Brezina.

Additional information

Capsule

This study describes the treatment patterns for PCOS via a survey of 262 centers in 68 nations.

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Brezina, P.R., Mensah, V., Balen, A. et al. Fertility management in the PCOS population: results of a web-based survey at IVF-worldwide.com. J Assist Reprod Genet 30, 1169–1174 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0069-z

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10815-013-0069-z

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