It’s interesting to see the esteemed watchdog, American Society for Reproductive Medicine – ASRM – has listed five extra tests it recommends infertility patients, and their doctors, to consider carefully.
The ‘Choosing Wisely®’ campaign is an initiative trying to reduce the use of unnecessary tests, procedures and treatments for couples struggling to conceive.
ASRM outlines some regularly performed, but mostly unhelpful, tests and procedures which doctors need to discuss with their patients.
ASRM’s additions to the list of tests and procedures to question include:
1. Karyotyping as part of the initial evaluation for amenorrhea;
2. Prescribing testosterone to men planning or attempting a pregnancy;
3. Testing women in their 40’s for FSH levels to identify the menopausal transition as a cause of irregular or abnormal menstrual bleeding;
4. Performing endometrial biopsy as a part of routine infertility evaluation
5. Performing prolactin testing as part of the routine infertility evaluation in women with regular periods.
ASRM’s first 5 recommendations for tests that need to be queried by doctors and patients:
1. Diagnostic laparoscopy for the evaluation of unexplained infertility;
2. Advanced sperm function testing in the initial evaluation of the infertile couple;
3.Post-coital testing for the evaluation of infertility;
4. Thrombophilia testing on patients undergoing routine infertility evaluation; and
5. Immunological testing as part of routine infertility evaluation.
ASRM’s recommendations and accompanying information will be available at http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/american-society-for-reproductive-medicine/ or you can download a PDF of their recommendations.
ASRM President Rebecca Sokol, MD, MPH, says, “We appreciate the work the ABIM Foundation has done in creating Choosing Wisely® and the opportunity they gave us by inviting ASRM to participate. The initiative provides valuable information to both the patient and physician communities.By pausing to consider whether certain tests and treatments are of true benefit to individual patients before ordering them, doctors will provide better care and avoid unnecessary expense to patients.”
‘ASRM is a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to the advancement of the science and practice of reproductive medicine. The Society accomplishes its mission through the pursuit of excellence in education and research and through advocacy on behalf of patients, physicians, and affiliated health care providers. The Society is committed to facilitating and sponsoring educational activities for the lay public and continuing medical education activities for professionals who are engaged in the practice of and research in reproductive medicine. ASRM has more than 8,000 members in over 100 countries.’
