title: Spontaneous pregnancies among couples previously treated by in vitro fertilization.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the frequency of live births following spontaneous pregnancy (BSP) and to examine their associated factors among couples who have unsuccessfully or successfully experienced fertility treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective cohort.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eight IVF centers.
  
  
  METHODS
  A total of 2,134 couples who began IVF treatment in the centers in 2000-2002 and were followed up by a postal questionnaire sent 7-9 years after they started treatment in the inclusion center.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Rates of BSP and factors associated with BSP. Univariate and multivariate analyses were conducted using logistic regression.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The BSP rate was 17% (218/1,320) among couples who had previously had a child through medical treatment and 24% (193/814) among couples who had remained childless after treatment. In both groups, the probability of BSP was higher among younger women and increased with a smaller number of IVF attempts. Probability was also higher when the cause of infertility was unexplained.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our results should give hope to couples who have been unsuccessfully treated by IVF, especially young couples with unexplained infertility. Nonetheless, it should be remembered that the BSP rates are cumulative rates observed over a long period of time and that these couples have a very low monthly probability of conceiving.
authors.affiliation: Ined, Paris, France. penelope.troude@inserm.fr
authors.forename: Pénélope
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Troude
authors.forename: Estelle
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Bailly
authors.forename: Juliette
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Guibert
authors.forename: Jean
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Bouyer
authors.forename: Elise
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: de la Rochebrochard
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005191:Family Characteristics; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000534:rehabilitation* / Q000628:therapy*; D050498:Live Birth / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D012075:Remission, Spontaneous; D012189:Retrospective Studies