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.

Design

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.

Setting

2002 National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle 6.

Participant(s)

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

Intervention(s)

None.

Main Outcome Measure(s)

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.

Result(s)

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.

Conclusion(s)

Patients should be adequately counseled regarding modifiable behaviors and the range of services available before making decisions regarding their infertility.

Key Words: Infertility, infertility services, infertility treatment, pregnancy