Table 2.
Claims made in relation to three add-ons on IVF clinic websites
| Type of advertisement | Number of websites |
|---|---|
| Assisted hatching | |
| Improves implantation chances/rates | 9 |
| Improves pregnancy/clinical pregnancy chances/rates | 5 |
| Evidence-based studies | 7 |
| Insufficient/no evidence | 1 |
| Reference to possible negative impact (e.g. on live birth) | 0 |
| Time-lapse embryo imaging | |
| Improves IVF success rates | 11 |
| Improves clinical outcomes | 3 |
| Improves implantation chances/rates | 12 |
| Improves/increases ongoing pregnancy chances/rates | 21 |
| Evidence-based studies/research/RCT | 22 |
| Reference of studies | 3 |
| Insufficient/no evidence | 4 |
| Improves embryo selection – selection of ‘highest potential’ embryo | 30 |
| Improves embryo culture and manipulation conditions | 8 |
| Significant reduction of miscarriage/early pregnancy loss rates | 10 |
| Higher percentage of genetically normal blastocysts – improves embryo potential | 8 |
| Increases live birth rate | 3 |
| Reduces preterm birth and very low birth weight | 1 |
| Improves birth rates | 1 |
| Supports better embryo development | 11 |
| Reference to possible negative impact (e.g. on live birth) | 0 |
| PGT-A | |
| Improves pregnancy rates/likelihood | 15 |
| Improves live birth rates | 5 |
| Improves implantation rates | 5 |
| Evidence-based studies/research | 7 |
| Reference of studies | 2 |
| Improves IVF success rates | 4 |
| Reduces chance of miscarriage/minimizes chance of poor outcome | 10 |
| Increases chance of having a healthy baby | 3 |
| Does not increase overall chance of having a baby/no guarantee of a pregnancy | 2 |
| Reference to possible negative impact (e.g. on live birth) | 0 |
PGT-A, preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidies; RCT, randomized controlled trial.