title: Electronic witness system in IVF-patients perspective.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The objective of this study is to evaluate patient concerns about in vitro fertilization (IVF) errors and electronic witness systems (EWS) satisfaction.
  
  
  METHODS
  The design of this study is a prospective single-center cohort study.
  
  
  METHODS
  The setting of this study was located in the private IVF center.
  
  
  METHODS
  Four hundred eight infertile patients attending an IVF cycle at a GENERA center in Italy were equipped with an EWS.
  
  
  METHODS
  Although generally recognized as a very rare event in IVF, biological sample mix-up has been reported in the literature. For this reason, some IVF laboratories have introduced EWS with the aim to further reduce the risk of error during biological samples handling. Participating patients received a questionnaire developed through a Likert scale ranging from 1 to 6.
  
  
  METHODS
  Patient concerns about sample mix-up without and with an EWS were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  90.4 % of patients expressed significant concerns relating to sample mix-up. The EWS reduced these concerns in 92.1 % of patients, 97.1 % of which were particularly satisfied with the electronic traceability of their gametes and embryos in the IVF laboratory. 97.1 % of patients felt highly comfortable with an IVF center equipped with an EWS. Female patients had a significantly higher appreciation of the EWS when compared to their male partners (p = 0.029). A significant mix-up event occurred in an Italian hospital during the study and patient's satisfaction increased significantly towards the use of the EWS after the event (p = 0.032).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  EWS, by sensibly reducing the risk for sample mix-up in IVF cycles, has been proved to be a trusted strategy from patient's perspective.
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Marina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Forte
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Faustini
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Roberta
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Maggiulli
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.|The Bridge Centre, London, UK.
authors.forename: Catello
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Scarica
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Stefania
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.affiliation: The Bridge Centre, London, UK.
authors.forename: Christian
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ottolini
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health and Infectious Diseases, Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Alessio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Farcomeni
authors.affiliation: I University of Naples, Naples, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Palagiano
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.|GENETYX, Molecular Genetics Laboratory, E.Fermi, 1 36063 Marostica, Vicenza, Italy.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Capalbo
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Filippo Maria
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Ubaldi
authors.affiliation: G.ENE.R.A. Centre for Reproductive Medicine, Clinica Valle Giulia, Via G. De Notaris 2b, 00197, Rome, Italy. rienzi@generaroma.it.
authors.forename: Laura
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rienzi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001755:Blastocyst / Q000502:physiology; D004624:Embryo Transfer; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D006801:Humans; D007246:Infertility / Q000453:epidemiology; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D011247:Pregnancy; D018873:Pregnancy Rate; D015983:Selection Bias; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Embryo labeling; IVF mix-up; Patient’s perspective; Traceability; Witnessing system