FET cycles; cryopreserved embryos; discontinuation; questionnaire; reasons for discontinuation; Reproductive Medicine; Obstetrics and Gynecology; Developmental Biology
Abstract :
[en] [en] RESEARCH QUESTION: What is the discontinuation rate among patients with remaining cryopreserved embryos in Belgium and what are the reasons for discontinuation?
DESIGN: Multicentre, cross-sectional study across 11 Belgian fertility clinics. Patients were eligible (n = 1917) if they had previously undergone an unsuccessful fresh embryo transfer (fresh group) or frozen embryo transfer (FET) (in-between group) and did not start a subsequent FET cycle within 1 year despite having remaining cryopreserved embryos. The denominator was all patients with embryos cryopreserved during the same period (2012-2017) (n = 21,329). Data were collected through an online anonymous questionnaire.
RESULTS: The discontinuation rate for patients with remaining cryopreserved embryos was 9% (1917/21329). For the final analysis, 304 completed questionnaires were included. The most important reasons for discontinuing FET cycles were psychological (50%) and physical (43%) burden, effect on work (29%), woman's age (25%) and effect on the relationship (25%). In 69% of cases, the patient themselves made the decision to delay FET treatment. In 16% of respondents, the decision to delay FET was determined by external factors: treating physician (9%), social environment (4%), close family (3%) and society (3%). Suggested improvements were psychological support before (41%), during (51%) and after (51%) treatment, as well as lifestyle counselling (44%) and receiving digital information (43%).
CONCLUSIONS: The discontinuation rate is remarkably high in patients with remaining cryopreserved embryos who have a good prognosis. Respondents stressed the need to improve the integration of psychological and patient-tailored care into daily assisted reproductive technology practice.
Disciplines :
Reproductive medicine (gynecology, andrology, obstetrics)
Author, co-author :
Vanden Meerschaut, Frauke ; Department for Reproductive Medicine, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium. Electronic address: frauke.vandenmeerschaut@uzgent.be
Blockeel, Christophe; Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Brussels, Belgium
Blaiberg, Samantha; Center for Reproductive Medicine, CHU St Pierre, Brussels, Belgium
Delvigne, Annick ; Université de Liège - ULiège > Département des sciences cliniques > Gynécologie-Obstétrique ; Centre de Procréation Médicalement Assistée, Clinique CHC Mont Légia, Liège, Belgium
Henry, Laurie ; Centre Hospitalier Universitaire de Liège - CHU > > Service de gynécologie-obstétrique (CHR)
Imbert, Romain; Centre de Procréation Médicalement Assistée, Chirec-hôpital, Braine l'alleud-Waterloo, Belgium
Lie Fong, Sharon; Leuven university fertility center, Leuven University Hospital, Leuven, Belgium
Van De Vijver, Arne; Center for Reproductive Medicine, AZ Sint-Jan, Bruges, Belgium
Wyns, Christine; Gynécologie-andrologie et fécondation in vitro, Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, Brussels, Belgium
De Neubourg, Diane; Center for Reproductive Medicine, Antwerp University Hospital, Antwerp, Belgium
Language :
English
Title :
Multicentre study on rates and reasons for treatment discontinuation in patients with remaining cryopreserved embryos.
We thank all the study nurses affiliated to the centres under study for administrative as well as technical support throughout this project, and to Stefanie De Buyser, statistician at the University of Ghent, for advice during the statistical analysis of the data. The pharmaceutical company Merck NV/SA facilitates the Belgian consortium meetings. Contact person: Susana Montenegro Gouveia (Medical Advisor Fertility and GM&E Belgium and Luxembourg). Susana Montenegro Gouveia coordinates the communication between the investigators, organizes meetings, but has no influence on the study protocol, nor direct access to any study data.
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