Outcomes for Female Physicians Compared With Nonphysicians After Assisted Reproductive Technology

Area of Science:

• Reproductive Endocrinology
• Clinical Obstetrics & Gynecology
• Medical Professional Studies

Background:

• Assisted reproductive technology (ART) is crucial for managing infertility.
• Understanding outcomes in specific professional groups, like physicians, can inform patient counseling and resource allocation.
• Previous research has not extensively compared ART outcomes between female physicians and the general patient population.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare live-birth rates and other key outcomes of ART between female physicians and nonphysician patients.
• To investigate differences in implantation rates, early pregnancy loss, and time to pregnancy after ART.
• To identify potential factors influencing ART success in female physicians.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective cohort study analyzed data from 248 physician patients and 3,470 nonphysician patients undergoing ART.
• The study included 10,095 fresh or frozen ART cycles from January 2015 to March 2022.
• Outcomes such as live-birth rate, implantation rate, early pregnancy loss, and time to pregnancy were evaluated, with adjustments for confounders.

Main Results:

• Physicians had similar live-birth rates (39.3% vs. 38.2%), implantation rates (34.7% vs. 33.7%), and early pregnancy loss rates (21.9% vs. 19.8%) compared to nonphysicians.
• Physicians exhibited lower body mass index (BMI) and a higher utilization of preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy.
• Female physicians achieved pregnancy slightly faster, with a shorter time from initial ART cycle to pregnancy (21.82 weeks vs. 25.16 weeks).

Conclusions:

• Female physicians experience comparable ART cycle outcomes to nonphysician patients.
• Physicians may conceive slightly more rapidly through assisted reproduction.
• These findings suggest that professional status does not negatively impact ART success rates.