1. Public Perception on Infertility and IVF - A Hong Kong Study
Dr. Milton Leong
MDCM DSc(McGill)
Director, IVF Center
Hong Kong Sanatorium & Hospital
Global Chinese Conference 15 Dec 2002

2. Infertility 1/6 couples trying for pregnancy
Medical,social and psychological problems studied
Very few perception studies

3. Perception study in Infertility
Bertarelli Foundation Survey 2000
1st published population perception survey
Polled 6 European Countries, USA and Australia 1998/1999
Telephone survey: random selection households
7036 polled, no mention of % completion

4. Perception Survey in Infertility
6 questions
Asked You/your friend to avoid rejection
52 % claimed personally know somebody who had infertility

5. Perception Study in Infertility
Is Infertility a disease? Mean 38%
Australia, UK, USA 20%
Germany, Italy %
Heard of IVF?
77% (Germany) to 99% (Sweden)

6. Perception study in infertility
Should IVF be reimbursed?
Told respondent cost 3x IVF equals hip replacement
60-80% said to reimburse

7. Perception Study in Infertility
Although 97% of respondents heard of IVF and approved of IVF, only 16% answered correctly that IVF success is similar to that of natural pregnancy.
Most people guessed the success rate, and no correlation can be established

8. YWCA Perception Study 2002 Aims: Infertility problem vs no problem
psycho-social states
medical aspects - treatment profiles

9. Bertarelli vs. Hong Kong Survey
52% know infertility
16% know success rate
89% know IVF
38% said infertility = disease
Hong Kong
50% know infertility
20%know success rate
46% know IVF
50% said infertility=disease

10. YWCA Perception Study 2002 Methodology: Telephone survey
Randomly called numbers
No demographic questions to maximise response
Respondents answer 7,15, or16 questions

11. YWCA Perception Study 2002 Randomly dialed Numbers
Carried out July to October
Successfully Connected:147897
Valid Data: 7028
Success Rate: 5%

12. YWCA Perception Study 2002

13. Know Reasons, Know IVFC, Expected Success Rate

14. INFERTILE PATIENTS

15. INFERTILE Treatment Vs Time
as suffering time increased, more infertility subjects received treatment,
however, when they suffered more than 5 years, the subjects received treatment decreased N = 1173
Chi-square test P<0.05

16. Accepted ART? N = 265

17. Why Reject IVF

18. Chi-Square Compare Subjects with and Without Infertility (p < 0.05)
More subjects reported no Infertility problem knew IVFC
The expected Success Rate of IVFC was different between subjects with and without Infertility

19. Chi-Square Compare Subjects with and Without Infertility (p < 0.05)
More Infertile Subjects reported that they believed infertility is a disease.

20. Chi-Square Compare Subjects with and Without Infertility (p = NS)

21. Investigations on Treated Subjects

22. Investigations done Treated subjects

23. Basic Investigations Made

24. Treatment Method offered

25. Summary of Results 16% of polled has infertility problem
45% view infertility as disease. For infertile couples 52% consider it a disease
35% only has heard of IVF centers
50% know the reason for their infertility
30% know IVF success rate (20-40%)

26. Summary of Results 1173/7208 polled claimed to be infertile
only 265 (34%) have received or under treatment
50.6% had ovulation induction
34% had intra-uterine insemination
24% had IVF/related treatment

27. Summary of Results Diagnosis procedures reported
Ovulation/hormone, laparoscopy 35%
SA, HSG only 45%
Ultrasound only test >50% (58%)
42% answered that none of the above tests were done

28. Summary of Results
Although 50% of respondents who are under treatment accepts IVF
Only 30% actually received IVF treatment
This is 6.5% of respondents who has infertility
Of those rejecting IVF, 45.7% worry IVF begets abnormal babies. 22.5% think too expensive

29. CONCLUSIONS
There is misconception about IVF mainly in the availability, success rate, and the technology itself
There is a problem of education, so that appropriate tests were not done
Funding is not enough, especially third party payment

30. CONCLUSIONS
Patients are not seeking treat-ment. Social factors and other psychological reasons may be present.
May also be that right treatment is not readily offered, so treat-ment abandoned after a while

31. Cost Hip Replacement Vs IVF
OT charge:$40000
Hospital Bed: $20000
Surgical Fee:$30000
Drugs etc: $5000
Total: $95000
IVF
OT charge: $12000
Hospital bed:$3000
Surgical Fee:$15000
Lab Fee:$ 15000
Drugs etc:$15000
Total: $$60000