CC BY-NC-ND 4.0 · Geburtshilfe Frauenheilkd 2018; 78(10): 984-990
DOI: 10.1055/a-0715-2654
GebFra Science
Original Article/Originalarbeit
Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York

Possible Reasons for Discontinuation of Therapy: an Analysis of 571 071 Treatment Cycles From the German IVF Registry

Article in several languages: English | deutsch
Vera K. Kreuzer
1   Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, UniKiD – Universitäres Interdisziplinäres Kinderwunschzentrum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
,
Markus Kimmel
2   Deutsches IVF-Register e. V. (D·I·R)®, Geschäftsstelle und Datenkoordination, Düsseldorf, Germany
,
Julia Schiffner
3   selbstständig, Düsseldorf, Germany
,
Ute Czeromin
4   Deutsches IVF-Register e. V. (D·I·R)®, Düsseldorf, Germany
5   Kinderwunschpraxis Gelsenkirchen, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
,
Andreas Tandler-Schneider
6   Deutsches IVF-Register e. V. (D·I·R)®, Mitglied des Vorstands, Düsseldorf, Germany
7   Fertility Center Berlin, Berlin, Germany
,
Jan-Steffen Krüssel
1   Universitätsklinikum Düsseldorf, Klinik für Frauenheilkunde und Geburtshilfe, UniKiD – Universitäres Interdisziplinäres Kinderwunschzentrum Düsseldorf, Düsseldorf, Germany
6   Deutsches IVF-Register e. V. (D·I·R)®, Mitglied des Vorstands, Düsseldorf, Germany
› Author Affiliations
Further Information

Publication History

received 15 August 2018
revised 23 August 2018

accepted 23 August 2018

Publication Date:
19 October 2018 (online)

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Abstract

Introduction Numerous couples discontinue fertility treatment before achieving the objective, the birth of a child. The aim of this retrospective data analysis is to identify the reasons for early discontinuation of therapy (drop-out).

Materials and Methods Retrospective data analysis. With the aid of the German IVF Registry (D·I·R®), a total of 122 560 “last cycles” in Germany in the period 2012 – 2015 were identified and the courses were analysed.

Results From the named cohort of “last cycles”, 37.3% of the female patients (45 699) gave birth to a child and ended the therapy. The remaining 76 861 discontinued the treatment before having a child. The fertility treatment was conducted due to a purely male indication in 46.27% of cases and in 17.96% the cause lay exclusively with the woman. 4.53% of the drop-outs suffered a miscarriage in the last cycle. 73.56% of the drop-out patients ended the therapy after the lack of a positive pregnancy test. After the third therapy cycle, 67% of the couples ended their treatment.

Conclusion The results make it possible to provide couples with individual counselling. They offer an option for preparing for the emotional and physical hurdles.

Key words

discontinuation of therapy - IVF - ICSI - German IVF Registry
 

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