title: Waiting for in vitro fertilization treatment: spontaneous and ART live births.
abstract: This study analysed the live birth rates in 760 couples referred in 1994 to St Mary's Hospital, Manchester, a non-fee-paying National Health Service (NHS) centre, who had waited for up to 4 years for IVF treatment. These live birth rates were compared with those of 199 couples referred at a similar time to Manchester Fertility Services, a fee-paying unit, where they received IVF treatment shortly after referral. The waiting time was advantageous in that 17.8% (135 of 760) of the couples referred to St Mary's Hospital conceived without IVF treatment, 60% within one year of referral. However, the waiting time was detrimental to women aged 30-34 in whom treatment was delayed by 3-4 years. Only 26.8% (204 of 760) of couples originally referred eventually received NHS-funded IVF treatment at St Mary's. A waiting time not exceeding 18 months would allow most spontaneous conceptions and reduce the adverse effect of prolonged waiting on the take-up rate for treatment and on the chance of success in the older women.
authors.affiliation: Department of Reproductive Medicine, St Mary's Hospital, Hathersage Road, Whitworth Park, Manchester M13 0JH, UK.
authors.forename: Gregory
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Horne
authors.forename: Catriona
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Farrell
authors.forename: Elizabeth H E
authors.initials: EH
authors.lastname: Pease
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Brison
authors.forename: Debbie A
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Falconer
authors.forename: Brian A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Lieberman
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001723:Birth Rate; D005260:Female; D005306:Fertilization; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000628:therapy; D008423:Maternal Age; D011247:Pregnancy; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome