Fertility treatment when the prognosis is very poor or futile: a committee opinion

Abstract

The Ethics Committee recommends development of evidence-based policies that are patient-centered for each in vitro fertilization (IVF) center. In most cases, the provision of futile therapies is not ethically justifiable. For those treatments with very poor success rates, clinicians must be vigilant in their presentation of risks, benefits, and alternatives. This document was reviewed in January 2012. This version replaces the previous version of this document, published in 2009.