Skip to main content
. 2017 Sep 7;14:114. doi: 10.1186/s12978-017-0375-5

Table 2.

Dimensions of patient-centered treatment

Definition Includes
Effectiveness The likelihood that a treatment will result in a desired outcome, which may be broadly understood as achieving parenthood or more narrowly construed as achieving pregnancy and live birth within a particular time-frame Estimated pregnancy success rates for treatment;
Estimated live birth rates for treatment;
Estimated number of treatment cycles to achieve pregnancy
Burden The physical and emotional workload and responsibility that a treatment requires of patients and their partners as well as “the impact of treatment on patient functioning and well-being” Pain/discomfort of treatment;
Strain on relationships;
Stress and anxiety associated with treatment
Time The amount of time involved in treatment; time to achieving parenthood Time involved in treatments (e.g. appointments);
Estimated time to parenthood for treatment;
Effect of additional elapsed time on future options
Financial Costs The out-of-pocket cost of a treatment Price tag of treatment options;
Payment plans/options;
Effect of cost on future options
Potential Risks The negative outcomes associated with treatment that may or may not actually occur Maternal risks (e.g. OHSS);
Fetal/infant/child risks (e.g. prematurity);
Multiple gestation/birth
Genetic Parentage Genetic/biological connection to child Whether a treatment involves the use of a patient’s and partner’s own gametes, or involves donated genetic material, such as sperm, egg, or embryo