Reproductive Biology and Endocrinology (May 2020)
COVID-19 and assisted reproductive technology services: repercussions for patients and proposal for individualized clinical management
- Carlo Alviggi,
- Sandro C. Esteves,
- Raoul Orvieto,
- Alessandro Conforti,
- Antonio La Marca,
- Robert Fischer,
- Claus Y. Andersen,
- Klaus Bühler,
- Sesh K. Sunkara,
- Nikolaos P. Polyzos,
- Ida Strina,
- Luigi Carbone,
- Fabiola C. Bento,
- Daniela Galliano,
- Hakan Yarali,
- Lan N. Vuong,
- Michael Grynberg,
- Panagiotis Drakopoulos,
- Pedro Xavier,
- Joaquin Llacer,
- Fernando Neuspiller,
- Marcos Horton,
- Matheus Roque,
- Evangelos Papanikolaou,
- Manish Banker,
- Michael H. Dahan,
- Shu Foong,
- Herman Tournaye,
- Christophe Blockeel,
- Alberto Vaiarelli,
- Peter Humaidan,
- Filippo M. Ubaldi,
- on behalf of the POSEIDON (Patient-Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number) group
Affiliations
- Carlo Alviggi
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II
- Sandro C. Esteves
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic
- Raoul Orvieto
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Chaim Sheba Medical Center
- Alessandro Conforti
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II
- Antonio La Marca
- Department of Medical and Surgical Sciences for Children and Adults, University of Modena and Reggio Emilia
- Robert Fischer
- Fertility Center Hamburg
- Claus Y. Andersen
- Laboratory of Reproductive Biology, University Hospital of Copenhagen, Faculty of Health and Medical Sciences
- Klaus Bühler
- Center for Gynecology, Endocrinology and Reproductive Medicine
- Sesh K. Sunkara
- Department of Women’s Health, Faculty of Life Sciences, King’s College London
- Nikolaos P. Polyzos
- Dexeus University Hospital
- Ida Strina
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II
- Luigi Carbone
- Department of Neuroscience, Reproductive Science and Odontostomatology, University of Naples Federico II
- Fabiola C. Bento
- ANDROFERT, Andrology and Human Reproduction Clinic
- Daniela Galliano
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI)
- Hakan Yarali
- Anatolia IVF
- Lan N. Vuong
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh City
- Michael Grynberg
- Service de Médecine de la Reproduction et Préservation de la Fertilité, Hôpital Antoine Béclère, Clamart, France, Université Paris Saclay
- Panagiotis Drakopoulos
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Pedro Xavier
- Unit of Reproductive Medicine, Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Hospital Center São João
- Joaquin Llacer
- Instituto Bernabeu
- Fernando Neuspiller
- Instituto Valenciano de Infertilidad (IVI)
- Marcos Horton
- Pregna Medicina Reprodutiva
- Matheus Roque
- MaterPrime
- Evangelos Papanikolaou
- Assisting Nature, Centre of Assisted Reproduction and Genetics
- Manish Banker
- Nova IVF Fertility
- Michael H. Dahan
- Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, McGill University
- Shu Foong
- Department of Obstetrics & Gynecology, University of Calgary
- Herman Tournaye
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Christophe Blockeel
- Center for Reproductive Medicine, Universitair Ziekenhuis Brussel, Vrije Universiteit Brussel
- Alberto Vaiarelli
- Fertility Clinic Skive, Skive Regional Hospital
- Peter Humaidan
- Faculty of Health, Aarhus University
- Filippo M. Ubaldi
- Fertility Clinic Skive, Skive Regional Hospital
- on behalf of the POSEIDON (Patient-Oriented Strategies Encompassing IndividualizeD Oocyte Number) group
- DOI
- https://doi.org/10.1186/s12958-020-00605-z
- Journal volume & issue
-
Vol. 18,
no. 1
pp. 1 – 7
Abstract
Abstract The prolonged lockdown of health services providing high-complexity fertility treatments –as currently recommended by many reproductive medicine entities– is detrimental for society as a whole, and infertility patients in particular. Globally, approximately 0.3% of all infants born every year are conceived using assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatments. By contrast, the total number of COVID-19 deaths reported so far represents approximately 1.0% of the total deaths expected to occur worldwide over the first three months of the current year. It seems, therefore, that the number of infants expected to be conceived and born –but who will not be so due to the lockdown of infertility services– might be as significant as the total number of deaths attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic. We herein propose remedies that include a prognostic-stratification of more vulnerable infertility cases in order to plan a progressive restart of worldwide fertility treatments. At a time when preventing complications and limiting burdens for national health systems represent relevant issues, our viewpoint might help competent authorities and health care providers to identify patients who should be prioritized for the continuation of fertility care in a safe environment.
Keywords
- COVID-19
- Assisted reproductive technology
- Infertility
- In vitro fertilization
- Intracytoplasmic sperm injection
- Poseidon criteria
