Walsh, Anthony PH Collins, Gary S. Le Du, Monique Walsh, David J. Sills, E Scott Pre-treatment preferences and characteristics among patients seeking in vitro fertilisation <p><strong>Background</strong><strong>: </strong>This study sought to describe patient features before beginning fertility treatment, and to ascertain their perceptions relative to risk of twin pregnancy outcomes associated with such therapy.</p> <p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data on readiness for twin pregnancy outcome from in vitro fertilisation (IVF) was gathered from men and women before initiating fertility treatment by anonymous questionnaire.</p> <p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 206 women and 204 men were sampled. Mean (± SD) age for women and men being 35.5 ± 5 and 37.3 ± 7 yrs, respectively. At least one IVF cycle had been attempted by 27.2% of patients and 33.9% of this subgroup had initiated ≥3 cycles, reflecting an increase in previous failed cycles over five years. Good agreement was noted between husbands and wives with respect to readiness for twins from IVF (77% agreement; Cohen's K = 0.61; 95% CI 0.53 to 0.70).</p> <p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Most patients contemplating IVF already have ideas about particular outcomes even before treatment begins, and suggests that husbands & wives are in general agreement on their readiness for twin pregnancy from IVF. However, fertility patients now may represent a more refractory population and therefore carry a more guarded prognosis. Patient preferences identified before IVF remain important, but further studies comparing pre- and post-treatment perceptions are needed.</p> IVF;Patient Characteristics;Obstetrics and Gynaecology 2019-11-22
    https://repository.rcsi.com/articles/journal_contribution/Pre-treatment_preferences_and_characteristics_among_patients_seeking_in_vitro_fertilisation/10788458