HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by HOUMARD, B. S. Articles by SEIFER, D. B. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by HOUMARD, B. S. Articles by SEIFER, D. B.

Infertility Treatment and Informed Consent: Current Practices of Reproductive Endocrinologists

From the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington; and the Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey–Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, New Brunswick, New Jersey.

Address reprint requests to: David B. Seifer, MD Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology, and Reproductive Sciences UMDNJ-Robert Wood Johnson Medical School 303 George Street, Suite 250 New Brunswick, NJ 08901 E-mail: seiferdb{at}umdnj.edu

Objective: To determine current practice patterns of obtaining informed consent for infertility treatment by reproductive endocrinologists and to assess changes in response to reports of an association between ovulation induction and ovarian cancer.

Methods: Board-certified reproductive endocrinologists (n = 575) were surveyed by mail regarding how they informed patients and obtained consent for infertility treatments and how their practices had been influenced by studies suggesting a link between ovulation induction and ovarian cancer. Data were analyzed using ² and logistic regression analyses.

Results: The return rate was 62.1% (357 of 575 surveys). Most respondents (92%) used discussions with physicians to inform their patients of risks and benefits of all infertility treatments. Additional means, such as audiovisual aids, were used significantly more often for assisted reproductive technologies (including intracytoplasmic sperm injection and use of donated eggs) than for less invasive therapies (31–43% versus 4–11%, P < .001). Most physicians (46–66%) used verbal consent alone for hysterosalpingogram, intrauterine insemination, and ovulation induction. Formal written consent was used significantly more often for the various assisted reproductive technologies than for hysterosalpingogram, intrauterine insemination, or ovulation induction (94–95% versus 26–44%). Although most physicians (70%) did not believe that ovulation induction increases the risk of ovarian cancer, 83% addressed this risk when obtaining consent and 47% reported changing their practices since an association was reported. Common changes included limiting length of treatment and addressing ovarian cancer risk.

Conclusion: Current practice patterns of obtaining informed consent for various infertility treatments by board-certified reproductive endocrinologists show, as expected, that informed consent is more rigorous for assisted reproductive technologies. Although most surveyed did not believe that ovulation induction increases risk of ovarian cancer, the majority of physicians addressed that risk when obtaining consent and nearly half changed their practices on the basis of a possible association.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				D. L. Hock, D. B. Seifer, E. Kontopoulos, and C. V. Ananth Practice Patterns Among Board-Certified Reproductive Endocrinologists Regarding High-Order Multiple Gestations: A United States National Survey Obstet. Gynecol., May 1, 2002; 99(5): 763 - 770. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]