COVID-19 and Human Reproduction Joint Statement: ASRM/ESHRE/IFFS
08 June 2020
Declaration of
principle
Reproduction is an essential human right that exists regardless of race,
gender, sexual orientation or country of origin. Infertility is the
impairment of reproductive capacity; it is a serious disease that affects 8-12%
of couples of reproductive age and harms physical and mental well-being.
Infertility is time-sensitive, and prognosis worsens with age. While
there is no cure for most causes, the disease is most often treatable, and the
majority of patients who seek treatment can ultimately become parents.
Defining the
problem
The COVID-19 pandemic presents a unique global challenge on a scale not
previously seen. The infectivity and mortality rates are higher than previous
pandemics and the disease is present in almost every country. The
propagation and containment have varied widely by location and, at present, the
timeline to complete resolution is unknown. In the earliest stages of the
pandemic, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) and the
European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) independently
recommended discontinuation of reproductive care except for the most urgent
cases. More recently, with successful mitigation strategies in some areas
and emergence of additional data, both societies have sanctioned gradual and
judicious resumption of delivery of full reproductive care. In this document,
ASRM, ESHRE and the International Federation for Fertility Societies (IFFS)
have come together to jointly affirm the importance for continued reproductive
care during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Reproductive
medicine is essential
The cost of delivering all forms of medical care during the pandemic
will rise due to demand for ancillary medical services and supplies including
appropriate Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), additional testing, and other
point of care (POC) measures. Reproductive care is essential for the well-being
of society and for sustaining birth rates at a time that many nations are
experiencing declines.
During the pandemic, reproductive medicine professionals should continue to:
1. Advocate for the
well-being of patients.
2. Monitor local
conditions, including prevalence of disease, status of government or state
regulations, and availability of resources.
3. Implement proactive
risk assessment within their practices.
4. Prioritize care and
judiciously allocate use of limited resources using medical criteria.
5. Counsel patients
about all options, including deferring evaluation and treatment.
6. Adhere to active
risk mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of viral transmission.
7. Develop clear and
codified plans to ensure the ability to provide care while maximizing the
safety of their patients and staff.
8. Remain informed and
stay current regarding new medical findings.
9. Develop or refine
robust emergency plans.
10. Be prepared to
interrupt medical treatment if conditions warrant discontinuation.
Research
In addition to helping patients, reproductive medicine practices are
uniquely positioned to gather data and help to further COVID-19 research.
1. Reproductive
medicine professionals and practices are essential front-line resources for
screening, monitoring and assessing the prevalence and impact of the disease on
patients and their progeny through POC data collection.
2. ESHRE, ASRM and
IFFS and are committed to continuous monitoring of the effect of COVID-19 on
gametes and reproductive tissues, collecting data on pregnant patients infected
during the pandemic, and assessing the outcomes of mothers and neonates.
3. Examples of these
research and registry efforts are:
a. In the U.S.A.,
the ASPIRE (Assessing the Safety of Pregnancy In the
Coronavirus Pandemic) Study is a nationwide prospective
cohort study of pregnant women and their offspring during the COVID-19
pandemic. All patients under the care of a reproductive medicine specialist who
conceive spontaneously or with assisted reproductive technology (ART) between
March 1st and December 31st are encouraged to participate.
b. ESHRE is gathering
global case-by-case reporting on the outcome of medically assisted reproduction
(MAR) conceived pregnancies in women with a confirmed infection (https://nl.surveymonkey.com/r/COVID19ART).
c. The affiliate
society of ASRM, the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technologies (SART) is
including mandatory COVID-19-related questions in their Clinic Outcome
Reporting System (CORS) registry of assisted reproductive technologies (ART),
which accounts for over 95% of all ART cycles in the U.S.A.
d. ESHRE is gathering
data and mapping MAR/ART activity
during the pandemic, country by country whether and /or when they stopped
offering treatment and when they have resumed care.
e. IFFS is conducting
periodic surveys to assess global trends in access to MAR/ART services.
Final thoughts
Reproductive care is essential and reproductive medicine professionals
are in a unique position to promote health and wellbeing. In addition, ASRM,
ESHRE and IFFS are collaborating to advocate for patients and to gather data
and resources to
enhance the understanding of COVID-19 as it pertains to reproduction,
pregnancy, and the impact on the fetus and neonate. The lessons learned from
these will be useful as humanity deals with future pandemics.
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