Using willingness to pay to assess the benefits of assisted reproductive techniques

Current economic evaluations of Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ARTs) are criticized for assuming that the only factor important to users is whether they leave the service with a child. Such an approach ignores, first, outcomes beyond some narrow medical definition of success, second, the majority of users who leave the service childless and, third, the actual process of treatment. The aim of this study was to establish the importance of factors beyond some medical definition of success in the provision of ARTs, using the economic instrument of willingness to pay (WTP). The results suggest that there is some value in going through the service, even if the couple leaves it childless. It is concluded that the WTP technique is potentially useful in evaluating ARTs but further studies need to be undertaken to assess its reliability and validity.