Earlier this month, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) published 2009 statistics - the latest available - for in vitro fertilization (IVF) success rates. (Side note: Since Fertility Partnership opened in December 2009, our clinic is not included in these statistics.) There were a number of interesting findings in the report that I’ll be blogging about over the next few weeks, but what really caught my eye was the statistic that ovulatory dysfunction (i.e. Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome [PCOS]) accounted for only 7 percent of all infertility diagnoses among member clinics.

I’m not entirely sure what accounts for it, but at Fertility Partnership, fully 30 percent of the women we see have PCOS. It could be that, since our practice is based in the St. Louis region, we simply see more overweight women – a common symptom of PCOS. According to CalorieLab’s 2010 Obesity Map, Missouri is the 11th “Fattest State,” and the states that border us all rank in the top half of “Fattest States.” (Given our reputation for delicious toasted ravioli and the great food they serve at Busch Stadium, I can understand how we earned that ranking.)

It also could be that we’ve become somewhat of a magnet for PCOS patients, and that’s just fine with me. Having cared for PCOS patients for more than 20 years, I’ve developed an unofficial specialty in the syndrome. My PCOS patients have had great success getting pregnant, bucking the trend and the general thinking about this special patient population. In fact, a number of fertility clinics will refuse treatment to PCOS patients if they are “too obese.” 

I say, “Bring ‘em on!” Fertility Partnership works with everyone who comes to us for help, working together to develop a treatment plan that meets each patient’s unique situation and needs. Our success rates for PCOS patients undergoing IVF at Fertility Partnership are actually better than our success rates for the under 35 age group. (Our success rates in all age categories are above the national average.) In fact, the older our PCOS patients are, the better they do with IVF at our clinic.

So the moral of this national statistical report is…don’t let national statistical reports get you down. In your search for the “best” fertility clinic, look for the one that best meets your needs and has experience and success treating your particular infertility issue. And, if you’ve been told you wouldn’t be successful with fertility treatments because of PCOS or some other issue, don’t let that shut the door on your baby dreams. Give Fertility Partnership a call and give us an opportunity to help you overcome that opinion and have a baby.