title: Cross-border reproductive care in North America: a pilot study testing a prospective data collection program for in vitro fertilization clinics in Canada and the United States.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To develop and test a nonidentifying prospective data collection system for cross-border reproductive care (CBRC) in Canada and the United States (U.S.).
  
  
  METHODS
  Survey and cross-sectional study.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fertility clinics.
  
  
  METHODS
  Women traveling to and from Canada and the U.S. for reproductive care.
  
  
  METHODS
  None.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patients' home country, reason for crossing borders, and type of care received.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of 32 Canadian and 440 U.S. clinics contacted, seven and 46, respectively, responded to the initial questionnaire. Three out of seven Canadian and 44 out of 46 U.S. clinics reported providing CBRC. Seventy five percent agreed that nonidentifying data on country of origin and reason for travel should be collected. However, only one of seven Canadian and none of 46 U.S. clinics that expressed initial interest actually collected data, despite multiple communications.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although CBRC is a major component of assisted reproductive technology in North America (3%-10% of IVF cycles are provided to out-of-country patients in Canada and the U.S.), clinicians are not motivated to collect the simplest of data regarding CBRC patients. Despite this, reliable data are needed to help better understand the reasons for and impact of CBRC.
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada. Electronic address: hughese@mcmaster.ca.
authors.forename: Edward G
authors.initials: EG
authors.lastname: Hughes
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto Medical Foundation Fertility Physicians of Northern California, San Jose, California.
authors.forename: Angie
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.affiliation: McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Deirdre
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: DeJean
authors.affiliation: Palo Alto Medical Foundation Fertility Physicians of Northern California, San Jose, California.
authors.forename: G David
authors.initials: GD
authors.lastname: Adamson
mesh_terms: D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002170:Canada; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005298:Fertility; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006297:Health Services Accessibility; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D057193:Medical Tourism / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D018456:Reproductive Medicine / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014481:United States
keywords: Cross-border reproductive care; ICMART; outcome data; reproductive ethics