Identification of research priorities in infertility and assisted reproduction: an international, multicenter study

ABSTRACT RESEARCH QUESTION Which are the main research interests among patients of assisted reproductive technologies (ART)? DESIGN Cross-sectional study that consists of an anonymous online survey sent to 2,112 patients from 11 centers in 5 countries in 2018. Patients were asked to identify research questions relevant to them in the field of infertility and ART. Answers were categorized in topics and ranked by frequency. A long list of the top-30 research topics was extracted from the aggregate results, from which, a short list of the top-10 research topics was created. Ten research questions were finally formulated. RESULTS We analyzed 945 responses. Main interests were side effects, success rates, infertility prevention, and emotional support. The 10 research questions were: 1-What are the side-effects of drugs used in ART treatments? (51.6%); 2-What are the most effective methods to cope with infertility from the psychological point of view? (35.7%); 3-What effects could diet have on fertility? (25.9%); 4-What are ART success rates per clinical profile? (24.8%); 5-Are there habits and lifestyle factors that could prevent infertility? (20.0%); 6-What are the long-term risks associated to ART in mother and child? (18.5%); 7-Are alternative therapies such as acupuncture, yoga, and meditation effective to treat/prevent infertility? (18.5%); 8-What is the impact of exercise on fertility? (15.4%); 9-How does oocytes quantity and quality affect fertility? (9.5%); 10-What are the genetic patterns or hereditary conditions causing/related to infertility? (9.5%). CONCLUSIONS Researchers and clinicians should keep in mind that, in addition to success rates and safety, patients greatly value research on causes, prevention and emotional aspects of infertility.