title: Do lunar phases affect conception rates in assisted reproduction?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the effect of the phases of the moon on pregnancy rates in humans following in-vitro fertilization (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) treatment.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective, observational study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Reproductive Medicine Unit, Liverpool Women's Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Complete data for all women undergoing assisted conception procedures over a period of 13 years (1995-2002).
  
  
  METHODS
  Assisted conception procedures--IVF and ICSI.
  
  
  METHODS
  Biochemical pregnancy that is positive pregnancy test result following embryo transfer.
  
  
  RESULTS
  There was no significant effect of any lunar phase on the incidence of biochemical pregnancy (p-value 0.71). Age of the woman significantly affects the chances of pregnancy, (OR 0.95, 95% CI 0.91, 0.998, and p-value 0.04). The chances of pregnancy rises significantly with increase in the number of embryos replaced from 1 to 2 (OR 2.97, CI 1.36, 6.48, and p-value 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Pregnancy rates in humans, following assisted conception, appears to be independent of the effect of the lunar phase during which embryo transfer is carried out.
authors.affiliation: Reproductive Medicine Unit, Liverpool Women's Hospital, Crown Street, Liverpool, UK. sangeetadas65@aol.com
authors.forename: Sangeeta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Das
authors.forename: Susanna
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Dodd
authors.forename: David I
authors.initials: DI
authors.lastname: Lewis-Jones
authors.forename: Foram M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Patel
authors.forename: Andrew J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Drakeley
authors.forename: Charles R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Kingsland
authors.forename: Rafet
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Gazvani
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016081:Moon; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D020554:Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic / Q000592:standards*