Patient selection for assisted reproduction

Patient selection is a critical factor in influencing results in assisted reproduction. Patients should be assessed individually in terms of all relevant fertility factors including age, duration and aetiology of infertility and psycho-social attitudes so that an approximate prognosis of their management can be made. Restrictive criteria for patient selection will enhance a programme's results but at the expense of depriving some couples of their only chance of conception. The best overall management of each individual infertile couple should always remain the main criteria for selection into a particular assisted reproduction programme.