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Fertility prognosis for infertile couples
E Bostofte1, P Bagger, A Michael
1Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Hvidovre University Hospital, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Fertility and Sterility
|January 1, 1993
Summary
A new fertility prognosis model identifies key factors for infertile couples. The model uses infertility duration, female infertility causes, and the sperm penetration test (P-test) to predict conception chances.
Area of Science:
- Reproductive Medicine
- Biostatistics
- Clinical Epidemiology
Background:
- Infertility affects a significant number of couples seeking medical assistance.
- Accurate prognosis is crucial for guiding treatment decisions and managing patient expectations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and validate a predictive model for fertility prognosis in infertile couples.
- To identify significant prognostic variables influencing conception rates.
Main Methods:
- A prospective follow-up study involving 321 infertile couples was conducted.
- Fertility investigations included female assessments (ovarian, cervical, anatomical) and male assessments (semen analysis, sperm penetration test [P-test]).
- Cox regression modeling was employed to predict time-to-conception.
Main Results:
- Three variables demonstrated significant prognostic value: duration of infertility, female infertility factor, and P-test results.
- Infertility duration and P-test were most effective as continuous variables.
- Female infertility factors were best categorized into four distinct classes.
Conclusions:
- A prognostic index was developed by combining the three key variables.
- This index effectively predicts the fecundability (conception probability) of individual infertile couples.