Cost-effectiveness of in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer.

ABSTRACT

OBJECTIVE: Economic analyses in reproductive medicine often fail to take into account the chances of treatment-independent conception. We compared the cost-effectiveness of several realistic strategies involving IVF using no treatment as the reference strategy. DESIGN: A decision tree was constructed for a subfertile couple in which the clinician had to decide whether to offer treatment with IVF. No treatment at all was used as the reference strategy. SETTING: An analytic decision-making framework. PATIENT(S) Hypothetical subfertile couples. INTERVENTION(S) Two potential treatment approaches three IVF cycles performed as soon as possible, or no treatment performed initially and then three or four IVF cycles performed if a pregnancy resulting in a live birth does not occur naturally after 212 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE(S) The cost of establishing one pregnancy that results in a live birth. RESULT(S) The cost-effectiveness of IVF depended not only on the costs and expected success rates of IVF itself but also on the couple-specific chances of treatment-independent conception. Consequently, the cost-effectiveness of IVF is strongly dependent on the age of the female partner. This finding corresponds with everyday clinical experience. CONCLUSION(S) Economic analyses in reproductive medicine should take into account the option of providing no treatment.