Predictors of pregnancy and discontinuation of infertility services among women who received medical help to become pregnant, National Survey of Family Growth, 2002

Objective: To determine demographic characteristics associated with pregnancy and, separately, discontinuation of infertility services when unsuccessful at achieving pregnancy, among a national sample of women who received infertility services. Design: Using a log-linear regression model, we examined associations with becoming pregnant among women who had received infertility services; and using a Cox proportional hazards model, we examined associations with earlier infertility service discontinuation. Setting: 2002 National Survey of Family Growth, Cycle 6. Participant(s): A total of 530 women aged 18-44 years in the 2002 National Survey of Family Growth who had received infertility services. Intervention(s): None. Main Outcome Measure(s): Relative risks for predictors of pregnancy after receiving infertility services; median time to discontinuation of infertility services; hazard ratios for predictors of earlier discontinuation of services. Result(s): Fifty-nine percent of respondents became pregnant while receiving infertility services, and 32% reported discontinuing infertility services before establishing a pregnancy. Women received infertility services for a median of 8 months: among those who discontinued services, more than half did so within I month. Among women who received infertility services, those who were white, nonsmokers, nulliparous.. had insurance coverage, and received more than advice had a higher likelihood of pregnancy. Non-whites, parous women, and smokers discontinued infertility services earlier than others. Conclusion(s): Patients should be adequately counseled regarding modifiable behaviors and the range of services available before making decisions regarding their infertility. (Fertil Steril (R) 2009;91:988-97. (C) 2009 by American Society for Reproductive Medicine.)