Cargando…

Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests

IMPORTANCE: The recent provision of direct-to-consumer (DTC) Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) testing in several countries has been contentious, particularly due to concerns about judicious testing and informed consent. OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze information on websites that sell DTC AMH tests....

Descripción completa

Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Johnson, Alexis, Thompson, Rachel, Nickel, Brooke, Shih, Patti, Hammarberg, Karin, Copp, Tessa
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: American Medical Association 2023
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10442712/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37603332
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30192
_version_ 1785093662716198912
author Johnson, Alexis
Thompson, Rachel
Nickel, Brooke
Shih, Patti
Hammarberg, Karin
Copp, Tessa
author_facet Johnson, Alexis
Thompson, Rachel
Nickel, Brooke
Shih, Patti
Hammarberg, Karin
Copp, Tessa
author_sort Johnson, Alexis
collection PubMed
description IMPORTANCE: The recent provision of direct-to-consumer (DTC) Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) testing in several countries has been contentious, particularly due to concerns about judicious testing and informed consent. OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze information on websites that sell DTC AMH tests. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative study including content analysis of text information from websites in multiple countries that sell AMH tests DTC. The top 50 search results from 4 different internet search strings were captured and reviewed for eligibility. Data were extracted in March 2022 and analyzed from April 2022 to July 2023. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Themes and categories were derived from the website content using a conventional inductive approach, with a particular focus on information content, quality and accuracy, as well as the tone and language used. RESULTS: Twenty-seven websites across 7 different countries formed the sample for analysis. Information varied considerably across websites and was organized into 6 overarching categories: (1) whether a test description was included (25 websites [93%]); (2) statements about what the test can do, which included indicating ovarian reserve (26 websites [96%]) and indicating likelihood of conceiving (20 websites [74%]); (3) statements about the usefulness of the test result, which included enabling women to adjust their reproductive timeline (11 websites [41%]) and determining whether egg freezing was a viable option (8 websites [30%]); (4) blood collection method (ie, through a laboratory or an at-home sample); (5) promotion tactics, such as stating the convenience of testing (24 websites [89%]) and using language promoting empowerment and control (7 websites [26%]); and (6) statements about limitations of the test, which included polycystic ovary syndrome falsely inflating AMH levels (13 websites [48%]) and that it cannot accurately predict chances of conceiving (9 websites [33%]). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: In this qualitative study including content analysis, most websites selling DTC AMH tests included false and misleading claims which might lead consumers to purchase an AMH test in the belief that it can reliably predict fertility potential and age of menopause. Depending on the test result, this may in turn lead to misplaced anxiety or reassurance about one’s fertility and modifications to subsequent conception or contraceptive plans and behavior.
format Online
Article
Text
id pubmed-10442712
institution National Center for Biotechnology Information
language English
publishDate 2023
publisher American Medical Association
record_format MEDLINE/PubMed
spelling pubmed-104427122023-08-23 Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests Johnson, Alexis Thompson, Rachel Nickel, Brooke Shih, Patti Hammarberg, Karin Copp, Tessa JAMA Netw Open Original Investigation IMPORTANCE: The recent provision of direct-to-consumer (DTC) Anti-Mullerian Hormone (AMH) testing in several countries has been contentious, particularly due to concerns about judicious testing and informed consent. OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyze information on websites that sell DTC AMH tests. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative study including content analysis of text information from websites in multiple countries that sell AMH tests DTC. The top 50 search results from 4 different internet search strings were captured and reviewed for eligibility. Data were extracted in March 2022 and analyzed from April 2022 to July 2023. MAIN OUTCOMES AND MEASURES: Themes and categories were derived from the website content using a conventional inductive approach, with a particular focus on information content, quality and accuracy, as well as the tone and language used. RESULTS: Twenty-seven websites across 7 different countries formed the sample for analysis. Information varied considerably across websites and was organized into 6 overarching categories: (1) whether a test description was included (25 websites [93%]); (2) statements about what the test can do, which included indicating ovarian reserve (26 websites [96%]) and indicating likelihood of conceiving (20 websites [74%]); (3) statements about the usefulness of the test result, which included enabling women to adjust their reproductive timeline (11 websites [41%]) and determining whether egg freezing was a viable option (8 websites [30%]); (4) blood collection method (ie, through a laboratory or an at-home sample); (5) promotion tactics, such as stating the convenience of testing (24 websites [89%]) and using language promoting empowerment and control (7 websites [26%]); and (6) statements about limitations of the test, which included polycystic ovary syndrome falsely inflating AMH levels (13 websites [48%]) and that it cannot accurately predict chances of conceiving (9 websites [33%]). CONCLUSION AND RELEVANCE: In this qualitative study including content analysis, most websites selling DTC AMH tests included false and misleading claims which might lead consumers to purchase an AMH test in the belief that it can reliably predict fertility potential and age of menopause. Depending on the test result, this may in turn lead to misplaced anxiety or reassurance about one’s fertility and modifications to subsequent conception or contraceptive plans and behavior. American Medical Association 2023-08-21 /pmc/articles/PMC10442712/ /pubmed/37603332 http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30192 Text en Copyright 2023 Johnson A et al. JAMA Network Open. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the CC-BY License.
spellingShingle Original Investigation
Johnson, Alexis
Thompson, Rachel
Nickel, Brooke
Shih, Patti
Hammarberg, Karin
Copp, Tessa
Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests
title Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests
title_full Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests
title_fullStr Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests
title_full_unstemmed Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests
title_short Websites Selling Direct-to-Consumer Anti-Mullerian Hormone Tests
title_sort websites selling direct-to-consumer anti-mullerian hormone tests
topic Original Investigation
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC10442712/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/37603332
http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2023.30192
work_keys_str_mv AT johnsonalexis websitessellingdirecttoconsumerantimullerianhormonetests
AT thompsonrachel websitessellingdirecttoconsumerantimullerianhormonetests
AT nickelbrooke websitessellingdirecttoconsumerantimullerianhormonetests
AT shihpatti websitessellingdirecttoconsumerantimullerianhormonetests
AT hammarbergkarin websitessellingdirecttoconsumerantimullerianhormonetests
AT copptessa websitessellingdirecttoconsumerantimullerianhormonetests