Improving Fertility Treatment Documentation – A Survey

BACKGROUND: Many couples do not have adequate documentation following fertility treatments. AIMS: To conduct a survey to understand the information needs of assisted reproductive technology physicians when assessing the reasons affecting treatment outcomes after intrauterine insemination (IUI) and in vitro fertilisation (IVF). SETTINGS AND DESIGN: Online survey. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Anonymous online survey of 14 parameters related to IUI treatment and 21 parameters related to IVF treatment, followed by recommendation of selected parameters for routine documentation. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS USED: Frequency distribution calculation of responses. RESULTS: For IUI, total motile sperm count and post-wash sperm count and motility and for IVF, the quality and number of gametes, embryo number and morphology were the most important parameters. CONCLUSION: The study creates recommendations for the minimum information desirable in the fertility treatment documentation given to the couple undergoing treatment.