Antonia Pfeiffer, Annemarie Schweizer-Arau, Roxana M Popovici, Astrid Vogel, Yumiko von Hasselbach, Florian Beissner, Karin Meissner
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引用次数: 0
Abstract
Introduction: For women who have experienced failed attempts at in vitro fertilization (IVF) and face medical issues, leading to infertility, the renewed effort to seek fertility treatment, coupled with decreasing likelihood of success, can exert substantial emotional and physical strains. Consequently, many couples opt to discontinue treatment before attaining pregnancy. The objective of this study was to evaluate the reproductive outcomes in patients with unsuccessful prior IVF attempts who received a complementary treatment designed to alleviate emotional distress and burden.
Patients and methods: A retrospective analysis of data from infertile patients who initiated the complementary intervention at a private clinic between January 2014 and December 2016 was conducted. Information on diagnosis, history of infertility, prior assisted reproductive technology treatments, mode of conception, and pregnancy outcomes were retrieved.
Results: The data of 133 patients with a history of one or more unsuccessful IVF treatments were analyzed. Patients had an average age of 36.7 years (±4.4 SD) and had been experiencing infertility for an average of 4.6 years (±2.7 SD). The two main causes of their infertility were endometriosis (36.1%, 48 patients) and diminished egg quality (31.6%, 42 patients). By May 2020, a significant proportion of the patients, 81.2% (108 patients), had achieved pregnancy, leading to 94 live births, which represents a 70.7% success rate. These pregnancies mostly resulted from natural cycle IVF (35.1%), donor cycles (23.4%), and conventional IVF (21.3%). The dropout rate was comparatively low at 23.3%. The median time from the start of complementary treatment to delivery was 18 months, with a range of 12-28 months.
Conclusions: This study highlights the potential value of complementary treatment approaches in conjunction with standard medical care for women who have experienced unsuccessful IVF treatments in the past and thus face a reduced chance of motherhood. The reported 71% live birth rate is notably high, indicating that the inclusion of complementary treatments may provide women with past IVF failures a tangible opportunity for achieving successful pregnancy and childbirth. However, these findings need to be confirmed through randomized controlled studies.
期刊介绍:
Aims and Scope
''Complementary Medicine Research'' is an international journal that aims to bridge the gap between conventional medicine and complementary/alternative medicine (CAM) on a sound scientific basis, promoting their mutual integration. Accordingly, experts of both conventional medicine and CAM medicine cooperate on the journal‘s editorial board, which accepts papers only after a rigorous peer-review process in order to maintain a high standard of scientific quality.
Spectrum of ''Complementary Medicine Research'':
- Review and Original Articles, Case Reports and Essays regarding complementary practice and methods
- Journal Club: Analysis and discussion of internationally published articles in complementary medicine
- Editorials of leading experts in complementary medicine
- Questions of complementary patient-centered care
- Education in complementary medicine
- Reports on important meetings and conferences
- Society Bulletins of Schweizerische Medizinische Gesellschaft für Phytotherapie (SMGP) and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Naturheilkunde
Bibliographic Details
Complementary Medicine Research
Journal Abbreviation: Complement Med Res
ISSN: 2504-2092 (Print)
e-ISSN: 2504-2106 (Online)
DOI: 10.1159/issn.2504-2092
www.karger.com/CMR