title: What is the quality of information on social oocyte cryopreservation provided by websites of Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology member fertility clinics?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate adequacy and adherence to American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) guidelines of internet information provided by Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART)-affiliated clinics regarding social oocyte cryopreservation (SOC).
  
  
  METHODS
  Systematic evaluation of websites of all SART member fertility clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  The internet.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  All websites offering SOC services were scored using a 0-13 scale, based on 10 questions designed to assess website quality and adherence to the ASRM/SART guidelines. The websites were analyzed independently by two authors. Whenever disagreement occurred, a third investigator determined the score.
  
  
  METHODS
  Scores defined website quality as excellent, ≥9; moderate, 5-8; or poor, ≤4 points.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 387 clinics registered as SART members, 200 offered oocyte cryopreservation services for either medical or social reasons; 147 of these advertised SOC. The average website scores of those clinics offering SOC was 3.4 ± 2.1 (range, 2-11) points. There was no significant difference in scores between private versus academic clinics or clinics performing more or less than 500 cycles per year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The majority of the websites do not follow the SART/ASRM guidelines for SOC, indicating that there is a need to improve the type and quality of information provided on SOC by SART member websites.
authors.affiliation: IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, and the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Sarit
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Avraham
authors.affiliation: IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, and the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Ronit
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Machtinger
authors.affiliation: IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, and the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Tal
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Cahan
authors.affiliation: Department of Statistics and Operations Research, the Raymond and Beverly Sackler Faculty of Exact Sciences, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: Amit
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sokolov
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Biology, Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
authors.forename: Catherine
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Racowsky
authors.affiliation: IVF Unit, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, the Chaim Sheba Medical Center, and the Sackler School of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel. Electronic address: dseidman@tau.ac.il.
authors.forename: Daniel S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Seidman
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000592:standards; D015925:Cryopreservation / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards*; D005298:Fertility; D006801:Humans; D020407:Internet / Q000592:standards*; D009865:Oocytes; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000592:standards*; D012955:Societies, Medical / Q000592:standards*
keywords: Nonmedical oocyte cryopreservation; internet; websites