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Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis

OBJECTIVES: The anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test has been promoted as a way to inform women about their future fertility. However, data consistently show the test is a poor predictor of natural fertility potential for an individual woman. As fertility centre websites are often a primary source of i...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Copp, Tessa, Nickel, Brooke, Lensen, Sarah, Hammarberg, Karin, Lieberman, Devora, Doust, Jenny, Mol, Ben W, McCaffery, Kirsten
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: BMJ Publishing Group 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8264877/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34233986
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046927
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author Copp, Tessa
Nickel, Brooke
Lensen, Sarah
Hammarberg, Karin
Lieberman, Devora
Doust, Jenny
Mol, Ben W
McCaffery, Kirsten
author_facet Copp, Tessa
Nickel, Brooke
Lensen, Sarah
Hammarberg, Karin
Lieberman, Devora
Doust, Jenny
Mol, Ben W
McCaffery, Kirsten
author_sort Copp, Tessa
collection PubMed
description OBJECTIVES: The anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test has been promoted as a way to inform women about their future fertility. However, data consistently show the test is a poor predictor of natural fertility potential for an individual woman. As fertility centre websites are often a primary source of information for reproductive information, it is essential the information provided is accurate and reflects the available evidence. We aimed to systematically record and categorise information about the AMH test found on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites. DESIGN: Content analysis of online written information about the AMH test on fertility clinic websites. SETTING: Accredited Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites. METHODS: Data were extracted between April and June 2020. Any webpage that mentioned the AMH test, including blogs specifically about the AMH test posted since 2015, was analysed and the content categorised. RESULTS: Of the 39 active accredited fertility clinics’ websites, 25 included information about the AMH test. The amount of information varied widely, and embodied four overarching categories; (1) the utility of the AMH test, (2) who the test is suitable for, (3) possible actions in response to the test and (4) caveats and limitations of the test. Eight specific statements about the utility of the test were identified, many of which are not evidence-based. While some websites were transparent regarding the test’s limitations, others mentioned no caveats or included persuasive statements actively promoting the test as empowering for a range of women in different circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: Several websites had statements about the utility of the AMH test that are not supported by the evidence. This highlights the need for higher standards for information provided on fertility clinic websites to prevent women being misled to believe the test can reliably predict their fertility.
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spelling pubmed-82648772021-07-23 Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis Copp, Tessa Nickel, Brooke Lensen, Sarah Hammarberg, Karin Lieberman, Devora Doust, Jenny Mol, Ben W McCaffery, Kirsten BMJ Open Reproductive Medicine OBJECTIVES: The anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test has been promoted as a way to inform women about their future fertility. However, data consistently show the test is a poor predictor of natural fertility potential for an individual woman. As fertility centre websites are often a primary source of information for reproductive information, it is essential the information provided is accurate and reflects the available evidence. We aimed to systematically record and categorise information about the AMH test found on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites. DESIGN: Content analysis of online written information about the AMH test on fertility clinic websites. SETTING: Accredited Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites. METHODS: Data were extracted between April and June 2020. Any webpage that mentioned the AMH test, including blogs specifically about the AMH test posted since 2015, was analysed and the content categorised. RESULTS: Of the 39 active accredited fertility clinics’ websites, 25 included information about the AMH test. The amount of information varied widely, and embodied four overarching categories; (1) the utility of the AMH test, (2) who the test is suitable for, (3) possible actions in response to the test and (4) caveats and limitations of the test. Eight specific statements about the utility of the test were identified, many of which are not evidence-based. While some websites were transparent regarding the test’s limitations, others mentioned no caveats or included persuasive statements actively promoting the test as empowering for a range of women in different circumstances. CONCLUSIONS: Several websites had statements about the utility of the AMH test that are not supported by the evidence. This highlights the need for higher standards for information provided on fertility clinic websites to prevent women being misled to believe the test can reliably predict their fertility. BMJ Publishing Group 2021-07-07 /pmc/articles/PMC8264877/ /pubmed/34233986 http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046927 Text en © Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/This is an open access article distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited, appropriate credit is given, any changes made indicated, and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/) .
spellingShingle Reproductive Medicine
Copp, Tessa
Nickel, Brooke
Lensen, Sarah
Hammarberg, Karin
Lieberman, Devora
Doust, Jenny
Mol, Ben W
McCaffery, Kirsten
Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis
title Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis
title_full Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis
title_fullStr Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis
title_full_unstemmed Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis
title_short Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis
title_sort anti-mullerian hormone (amh) test information on australian and new zealand fertility clinic websites: a content analysis
topic Reproductive Medicine
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8264877/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/34233986
http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2020-046927
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