METHODOLOGY USED TO MONITOR AND EVALUATE IN VITRO FERTILIZATION AND RELATED PROCEDURES IN WESTERN AUSTRALIA, 1983–1987

A methodology was developed to support a comprehensive health services research project undertaken to monitor and evaluate the practice of in vitro fertilization (IVF) and related procedures, such as GIFT, in Western Australia (WA) from 1983 to 1987. The project included demographic, clinical and economic assessments of the new technology. The study subjects were the 1,240 couples who began IVF treatment between January 1, 1983 and December 30, 1986. Information was collected on all 2,982 treatment cycles commenced by June 30, 1987, and on the 273 births that resulted from these treatment cycles. Where relevant, comparisons were based on information obtained from the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) census, the WA Midwives' Notification System and the WA Hospital Morbidity Data System. The need for long-term follow-up studies of children and participants is identified, as is the need for randomized clinical trials to evaluate more fully the success of the procedures where bilateral tubal blockage is not the indication for the treatment.