More abstracts, more science? Conference visibility and evidence maturity in reproductive medicine

Conference abstracts disseminate rapidly, remain indexed and citable, and can reach clinicians and patients long before a peer-reviewed report appears, or in its place. This commentary examines that gap between visibility and evidence maturity in reproductive medicine. Submissions to the major fertility congresses continue to rise, plausibly sustained by tools that lower the cost of producing an abstract and by incentives that reward its acceptance. A substantial proportion of presented trials never reach full publication, and findings can change as data mature, yet abstracts continue to accrue citations and media attention regardless. This commentary argues for strengthening traceability rather than restricting communication, and sets out measures that congresses and professional societies could adopt.