Unexplained Infertility: Individualizing Treatment for a Successful Outcome

Symposium held October 2010 at the American Society for Reproductive Medicine Annual Meeting in Denver, Colorado. Supported by an independent educational grant from EMD Serono, Inc., and Merck.

Faculty

	Marcelle I. Cedars, MD (Chair) Professor and Director Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility University of San Francisco Medical Center San Francisco, California
	Valerie L. Baker, MD Medical Director Stanford Fertility and Reproductive Medicine In Vitro Fertilization Program Stanford University School of Medicine Stanford, California
	Bradley J. Van Voorhis, MD Professor and Director Division of Reproductive Endocrinology & Infertility University of Iowa Carver College of Medicine Iowa City, Iowa

NEEDS ASSESSMENT
Up to 30% of couples who are unable to conceive are determined to have unexplained infertility. Traditionally, the diagnosis is made only after the basic infertility evaluation fails to reveal an obvious abnormality. In the absence of a correctable abnormality, the treatment for unexplained infertility is, by default, empiric. Proposed treatment regimens include intrauterine insemination (IUI), ovulation induction with oral or injectable medications, combination of IUI with ovulation induction, and assisted reproductive technologies (ART).

There is a need to help physicians evaluate empiric therapies and understand when to use each of the available approaches, because conception may occur even without treatment. In a survey conducted by ASRM in 2008, members identified personal practice gaps involving use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) to treat causes of infertility.

The objective of this educational activity for reproductive endocrinologists and other clinicians involved in ART is to review the current approaches to enable them to select the most appropriate, evidence-based treatment regimens for their patients with unexplained infertility.

LEARNING OBJECTIVES
At the completion of this activity, participants should be able to:

1) Appropriately counsel patients regarding treatment options for unexplained infertility.
2) Develop a cost-effective treatment strategy.
3) Discuss the risks and benefits of gonadotropin stimulation with intrauterine insemination (IUI).

TARGET AUDIENCE
This activity is designed to meet the educational needs of physicians and allied health professionals who care for women from adolescence to postmenopause.

ACGME COMPETENCIES
Medical Knowledge
Patient Care

ACCREDITATION STATEMENT
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

CREDIT DESIGNATION STATEMENT
The American Society for Reproductive Medicine designates this enduring material for a maximum of  1.0 AMA PRA Category 1 Credits^TM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Release date: December 17, 2010
Expiration date: December 17, 2011
Estimated time to complete activity: 1.0 hour

SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION REQUIREMENTS
Successful completion of this educational activity requires the learner to:

• View a course overview page, containing all CME and disclosure information, including acknowledgement of commercial support and disclosure of unlabeled use, prior to the start of the activity.
• Complete a 10-question pretest prior to the module.
• Be given the option of downloading a printed syllabus containing the transcript of the Webcast.
• Participate in the interactive activity by viewing/listening to the Webcast.
• Complete a 10-question post-test, with feedback of correct/incorrect answers, scoring a minimum of 70% in two attempts.
• Complete the evaluation.
• Print certificate of completion.

DISCLOSURE POLICY
All speakers were required to complete a disclosure of commercial and financial relationships with manufacturers of pharmaceuticals, laboratory supplies, or medical devices and with commercial providers of medically related services. These disclosures were reviewed and potential conflicts of interest resolved by the Subcommittee on Standards of Commercial Support of the Continuing Medical Education Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine.

DISCLOSURES
Valerie L. Baker, MD, reports receiving research support from IBSA.
Marcelle I. Cedars, MD, reports nothing to disclose.
Bradley J. Van Voorhis, MD, reports nothing to disclose.
Andrew R. La Barbera, PhD, HCLD, Scientific Director of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, reports nothing to disclose.
Nancy A. Bowers, BSN, RN, MPH, Education Specialist for the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, reports nothing to disclose.

DISCLOSURE OF UNLABELED USE
This educational activity may contain discussion of published and/or investigational uses of agents that are not indicated by the US Food and Drug Administration.

DISCLAIMER STATEMENT
The content and views presented in this educational activity are those of the faculty/authors and do not necessarily reflect those of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. This material is prepared based upon a review of multiple sources of information, but it is not exhaustive of the subject matter. Therefore, health care professionals and other individuals should review and consider other publications and materials on the subject matter before relying solely upon the information contained within this educational activity to make clinical decisions about individual patients.

COMMERCIAL SUPPORT
This activity is supported by an educational grant from EMD Serono, Inc., and Merck.

Click here to take the CME pretest.

Click here to skip the pretest and view the Webcast (non-CME credit).

Sexuality, Reproduction & Menopause © 2010 Quadrant HealthCom Inc.