Predictors of pregnancy and discontinuation of infertility services among women who received medical help to become pregnant, National Survey of Family Growth, 2002.
OBJECTIVE
To determine demographic characteristics associated with pregnancy and, separately, discontinuation of infertility services when unsuccessful at achieving pregnancy, among a national sample of women who received infertility services.


METHODS
Using a log-linear regression model, we examined associations with becoming pregnant among women who had received infertility services; and using a Cox proportional hazards model, we examined associations with earlier infertility service discontinuation.


METHODS
2002 National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle 6.


METHODS
A total of 530 women aged 18-44 years in the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth who had received infertility services.


METHODS
None.


METHODS
Relative risks for predictors of pregnancy after receiving infertility services; median time to discontinuation of infertility services; hazard ratios for predictors of earlier discontinuation of services.


RESULTS
Fifty-nine percent of respondents became pregnant while receiving infertility services, and 32% reported discontinuing infertility services before establishing a pregnancy. Women received infertility services for a median of 8 months; among those who discontinued services, more than half did so within 1 month. Among women who received infertility services, those who were white, nonsmokers, nulliparous, had insurance coverage, and received more than advice had a higher likelihood of pregnancy. Non-whites, parous women, and smokers discontinued infertility services earlier than others.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients should be adequately counseled regarding modifiable behaviors and the range of services available before making decisions regarding their infertility.
Farr
Sherry L
SL
Division of Reproductive Health, US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30341, USA. SFarr@cdc.gov
Anderson
John E
JE
Jamieson
Denise J
DJ
Warner
Lee
L
Macaluso
Maurizio
M
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D010298:Parity / Q000502:physiology; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012099:Reproductive Techniques / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors; D014481:United States; D055815:Young Adult