Table 2. Characteristics of IVF clinics and information about PGD on Clinic Websites.
| All IVF Clinics | IVF Clinics Mentioning PGD | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| N = 119 | All Clinics N = 83 |
Hospital/University-Based Clinics N = 22 |
Private Clinics N = 61 |
|||||||
| CHARACTERISTICS OF CLINIC | P-values* | P-values** | ||||||||
| Region | 0.067 | 0.036 | ||||||||
| East Coast | 17 | 14% | 15 | 18% | 1 | 4.5% | 14 | 23.0% | ||
| Midwest | 33 | 28% | 17 | 20% | 4 | 18.2% | 13 | 21.3% | ||
| Northeast | 21 | 18% | 16 | 19% | 8 | 36.4% | 8 | 13.1% | ||
| South | 27 | 23% | 19 | 23% | 7 | 31.8% | 12 | 19.7% | ||
| West | 21 | 18% | 16 | 19% | 2 | 9.1% | 14 | 23.0% | ||
| Type of Clinic | 0.045 | |||||||||
| Major Hospital | 38 | 32% | 22 | 27% | 22 | 100.0% | 0 | 0.0% | ||
| Standalone | 81 | 68% | 61 | 73% | 0 | 0.0% | 61 | 100.0% | ||
| Volume | 0.003 | NS | ||||||||
| <100 | 40 | 34% | 20 | 24% | 4 | 18.2% | 16 | 26.2% | ||
| 101-200 | 34 | 29% | 26 | 31% | 8 | 36.4% | 18 | 29.5% | ||
| >201 | 45 | 38% | 37 | 45% | 10 | 45.5% | 27 | 44.3% | ||
| INFORMATION ABOUT PGD PROVIDED | ||||||||||
| General Information | ||||||||||
| Explanation of IVF | 71 | 60% | 71 | 86% | 18 | 81.8% | 53 | 86.9% | NS | |
| Explanation of PGD | 63 | 53% | 63 | 76% | 16 | 72.7% | 47 | 77.0% | NS | |
| Website mentions that IVF is required for PGD? | 61 | 51% | 61 | 73% | 17 | 77.3% | 44 | 72.1% | NS | |
| Need for amio/chorio with PGD | 16 | 13% | 16 | 19% | 3 | 13.6% | 13 | 21.3% | NS | |
| References for souce or attribution of PGD informaion | 12 | 10% | 12 | 14% | 0 | 0.0% | 13 | 21.3% | 0.012 | |
| Ethical discussion | 10 | 8% | 10 | 12% | 1 | 4.5% | 9 | 14.8% | NS | |
| Risks of PGD | ||||||||||
| Risks for missing target diagnosis | 29 | 24% | 29 | 35% | 4 | 18.2% | 26 | 42.6% | 0.034 | |
| Risks for loss of embryo due to PGD | 15 | 13% | 15 | 18% | 3 | 13.6% | 13 | 21.3% | NS | |
| Technique is experimental, new or controversial | 12 | 10% | 12 | 14% | 0 | 0.0% | 12 | 19.7% | 0.018 | |
| Cost mentioned | 11 | 9% | 11 | 13% | 2 | 9.1% | 9 | 14.8% | NS | |
| Other risks | 9 | 8% | 9 | 11% | 1 | 4.5% | 8 | 13.1% | NS | |
| Benefits/Uses of PGD | ||||||||||
| PGD testing for single gene diseases | 63 | 53% | 63 | 76% | 16 | 72.7% | 48 | 78.7% | NS | |
| PGD testing for aneuploidy/chromosoal abnormalities | 59 | 50% | 59 | 71% | 16 | 72.7% | 44 | 72.1% | NS | |
| Gender selection to avoid x-linked disease | 22 | 18% | 22 | 27% | 3 | 13.6% | 20 | 32.8% | 0.071 | |
| Gender selection without genetic reason (i.e. social gender selection) | 11 | 9% | 11 | 13% | 0 | 0.0% | 11 | 18.0% | 0.026 | |
| For those with family history of genetic disease | 58 | 49% | 58 | 70% | 14 | 63.6% | 45 | 73.8% | NS | |
| For those with h/o multiple miscarriages | 40 | 34% | 40 | 48% | 9 | 40.9% | 32 | 52.5% | NS | |
| For advanced maternal age | 38 | 32% | 38 | 46% | 9 | 40.9% | 30 | 49.2% | NS | |
| For repeated IVF failure | 29 | 24% | 29 | 35% | 7 | 31.8% | 23 | 37.7% | NS | |
| PGD as beneficial for avoiding problems of multiple births | 6 | 5% | 6 | 7% | 1 | 4.5% | 5 | 8.2% | NS | |
| For those with an affected child | 11 | 9% | 11 | 13% | 2 | 9.1% | 9 | 14.8% | NS | |
| Other benefits of PGD | 14 | 12% | 14 | 17% | 1 | 4.5% | 13 | 21.3% | 0.063 | |
| PGD testing for specific disorders - # disorders listed | 51 | 43% | 51 | 61% | 13 | 59.1% | 39 | 63.9% | NS | |
| Anyone having IVF | 2 | 2% | 2 | 2% | 0 | 0.0% | 2 | 3.3% | NS | |
| Anyone in general | 1 | 1% | 1 | 1% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 1.6% | NS | |
| Format | ||||||||||
| PGD mentioned on main page of website | 16 | 13% | 16 | 19% | 6 | 27.3% | 10 | 16.4% | NS | |
| Link from main website | 29 | 24% | 29 | 35% | 4 | 18.2% | 25 | 41.0% | 0.045 | |
| Picture of a baby by PGD info (anywhere on page) | 33 | 28% | 33 | 40% | 7 | 31.8% | 26 | 42.6% | NS | |
| Other | ||||||||||
| List any date for information provided (i.e. Copyright) | 77 | 65% | 58 | 70% | 5 | 22.7% | 18 | 29.5% | NS | |
| Other options for avoiding genetic defects discussed | 18 | 15% | 18 | 22% | 3 | 13.6% | 15 | 24.6% | NS | |
| Prompt to call to make appointment with genetic counselor | 15 | 13% | 15 | 18% | 3 | 13.6% | 12 | 19.7% | NS | |
| Rate of accuracy of genetic testing of embryo | 9 | 8% | 9 | 11% | 0 | 0.0% | 9 | 14.8% | 0.053 | |
| Consent forms provided for IVF | 6 | 5% | 4 | 5% | 2 | 9.1% | 3 | 4.9% | NS | |
| Consent form provided for PGD | 3 | 3% | 3 | 4% | 2 | 9.1% | 1 | 1.6% | NS | |
| Disclosure of funding and competing interests | 1 | 1% | 1 | 1% | 0 | 0.0% | 1 | 1.6% | NS | |
*
Comparisons of all IVF clinics to those that mention PGD.
**
Comparison of hospital/university-based vs. private clinics.