Respondents to a Global news, 16×9 live chat on male infertility question the success rates claimed by fertility clinics helping couples to conceive.
After a special investigation for 16×9, Beatrice Politi looked at IVF success rates in Canada and found eight different clinics who claimed they were “the best.”
“Most clinics do not have up to date success stats,” said Domenica Howell, a participant in the discussion forum. “And if they do, sometimes they do not say if it resulted in a healthy baby at the end or was a lost pregnancy. So, I do not go by statistics at all.”
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Experts agreed with Domenica, and question what each clinic defines as “success.”
“Clinic success rates in Canada are self-reported and never audited or checked,” said Dr. Art Leader, a panelist on the forum and Ottawa fertility expert. “Clinics can include or not include their ‘failures’ as there is no agreed definition of what is a success.”
Those success rates left some wondering if their failed attempts at getting pregnant were actually counted towards a clinic’s successful statistic.
“I’m wondering if our first IVF was successful – we miscarried at 6 weeks though – I am sure they used this as a success,” said Amber and Chris Willdig, a couple featured in 16×9’s documentary. “Do the clinics include how many of those successes went on to be a healthy baby?”
Other participants like Bill and Kelly Laverdure didn’t let success rates become a part of their IFV treatment process.
“The success rates of individual clinics were not that important to us. We know in general the rates are fairly low,” they said. “People close to us are very surprised each time we have a failed cycle but we are almost expecting negative results at this point. It’s hard to keep the faith. Knowing we have a very skilled doctor helps.”
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