Clinical adjuncts in in vitro fertilization: a growing list

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Medicine and Endocrinology
• In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Treatments

Background:

• Numerous clinical adjuncts, or "add-ons," are increasingly incorporated into in vitro fertilization (IVF) protocols.
• These interventions, including growth hormone, aspirin, heparin, dehydroepiandrostenedione, testosterone, antioxidants, and hysteroscopy, are often adopted rapidly into practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically evaluate the evidence supporting the routine use of common IVF add-ons.
• To assess the impact of these add-ons on treatment complexity and cost.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of existing literature on the efficacy and safety of various IVF add-ons.
• Analysis of the current clinical integration of these supplementary treatments.

Main Results:

• The current review identified a lack of high-quality evidence to substantiate the routine use of most IVF add-ons.
• These interventions often complicate IVF procedures and escalate treatment expenses for patients and healthcare systems.

Conclusions:

• There is insufficient evidence to support the widespread adoption of current IVF add-ons in standard clinical practice.
• Conducting large, well-designed randomized trials is crucial to ascertain the true effectiveness and safety of these interventions.
• An evidence-based framework is urgently required for the introduction of novel treatments into clinical IVF settings.