Evidence map›Paper›PMID 30963351›Full record

ArticleJournal of assisted reproduction and genetics2019

Body mass index restrictions in fertility treatment: a national survey of OB/GYN subspecialists.

Angela S Kelley, Sylvia E Badon, Michael S M Lanham, Senait Fisseha, Molly B Moravek

Abstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Journal of assisted reproduction and genetics, 2019. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 11 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
11citing papers in PubMed, 2 pooled it
–field-weighted citation impact
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

11 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it.

  1. Structural weight stigma in healthcare toward preconception, pregnant, and postpartum women: A systematic review.Obesity reviews : an official journal of the International Association for the Study of Obesity · 2025
    Pooled it
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4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

5 authors.

Angela S KelleyDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, USA. asimmen@med.umich.edu.ORCID http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7703-4549
Sylvia E BadonDepartment of Preventive Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA.
Michael S M LanhamDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, USA.
Senait FissehaDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, USA.
Molly B MoravekDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynecology, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI, 48108, USA.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeTo explore the attitudes of reproductive endocrinology and infertility (REI) and maternal-fetal medicine (MFM) subspecialists regarding the necessity and appropriateness of body mass index (BMI) cutoffs for women seeking fertility treatment.

methodsMembers of the Society for Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility (SREI) and the Society for Maternal Fetal Medicine (SMFM) were invited to participate in a survey querying their knowledge of existing institutional or clinic BMI policies and personal opinions regarding upper and lower BMI cutoffs for a range of fertility treatments, including oral ovulation agents, gonadotropins, and in vitro fertilization.

resultsRespondents included 398 MFMs and 201 REIs. The majority of REI and MFM providers agreed with upper limit BMI cutoffs (72.5% vs 68.2%, p = 0.29), but REIs were twice as likely to support lower limit BMI restrictions compared to MFMs (56.2% vs 28.4%, p < 0.0001). Those who supported upper BMI restrictions were more likely to be female and report existing institutional BMI cutoffs. The majority of respondents (99.3%) believed that an official statement to guide clinicians should be issued by a national professional organization.

conclusionsAlthough practice patterns widely vary, the majority of REIs and MFMs believe that there should be a BMI cutoff above which women should not be offered immediate fertility treatment. Furthermore, there is a reported need for a written statement by a national professional organization to guide clinical practice and to ensure that OB/GYN subspecialists are providing consistent, fair, and safe recommendations to infertile women at the extremes of BMI.

Indexed as

Body Mass IndexAdultFemaleFertilityFertilization in VitroHumansInfertility, FemaleMaleReproductive Techniques, AssistedSurveys and QuestionnairesBody mass index (BMI)Fertility treatment

Identifiers

PMID30963351
PMCPMC6603101

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
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Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.