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Obstetric and perinatal outcomes in subfertile patients who conceived following low technology interventions for fertility enhancement: a comprehensive review

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Abstract

Purpose

Low technology interventions for fertility enhancement (LTIFE) are strategies that avoid retrieval, handling, and manipulation of female gametes. The definition of LTIFE is yet to be widely accepted and clarified, but they are commonly used in milder cases of infertility and subfertility. Based on these considerations, the aim of the present study was comprehensively to review and investigate the obstetric and perinatal outcomes in subfertile patients who underwent LTIFE.

Methods

A literature search up to May 2017 was performed in IBSS, SocINDEX, Institute for Scientific Information, PubMed, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. An evidence-based hierarchy was used according to The Oxford Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine to determine which articles to include and analyze, and to provide a level of evidence of each association between intervention and outcome.

Results

This analysis identified preliminary and low-grade evidence on the influence of LTIFE on obstetric and perinatal outcomes in subfertile women.

Conclusions

LTIFE women should deserve major consideration from Clinicians/Researchers of Reproductive Medicine, because these treatments could be potentially responsible for mothers’ and babies’ complications. So far, the lack of well-designed and unbiased studies makes further conclusions difficult to be drawn.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Unit of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Grande Ospedale Metropolitano “Bianchi-Melacrino-Morelli”, Via Melacrino, Reggio Calabria, Italy

    Stefano Palomba & Francesco Antonino Battaglia

  2. Center of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery, Arcispedale Santa Maria Nuova (ASMN), Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico (IRCCS), Reggio Emilia, Italy

    Susanna Santagni, Jessica Daolio & Giovanni Battista La Sala

  3. Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Utah University, Salt Lake City, UT, USA

    Karen Gibbins & Robert M. Silver

  4. University of Modena and Reggio Emilia, Modena, Italy

    Giovanni Battista La Sala

Authors
  1. Stefano Palomba
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  2. Susanna Santagni
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  3. Jessica Daolio
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  4. Karen Gibbins
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  5. Francesco Antonino Battaglia
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  6. Giovanni Battista La Sala
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  7. Robert M. Silver
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Contributions

SP conceived the study, interpreted data, drafted the manuscript, and approved its final version; SS and JD performed the literature search, selected the articles, drafted the manuscript, and approved its final version; KG interpreted data, revised the manuscript for intellectual content, and approved its final version; FAB and GBLS interpreted data, revised the manuscript for intellectual content, and approved its final version; RMS conceived the study, revised the manuscript for intellectual content and approved its final version.

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Correspondence to Stefano Palomba.

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Funding

Departmental funds form Center of Reproductive Medicine and Surgery—ASMN-IRCCS of Reggio Emilia (Italy) and from “Antonio Vallisneri” Study Center of Reggio Emilia (Italy) supported the authors throughout the study period and review preparation.

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The authors report no financial/commercial and non-financial conflict of interest.

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This article does not contain any studies with human participants performed by any of the authors.

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Palomba, S., Santagni, S., Daolio, J. et al. Obstetric and perinatal outcomes in subfertile patients who conceived following low technology interventions for fertility enhancement: a comprehensive review. Arch Gynecol Obstet 297, 33–47 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-017-4572-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00404-017-4572-9

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