Remote fertility care: Are patients prepared to forego physician proximity in favor of accessibility?

The prevalence of infertility is rising rapidly, affecting approximately one in every six individuals worldwide and impacting nearly 200 million people. Access to assisted reproductive technologies (ART) remains limited, as most countries fail to provide adequate ART services to those in need. Economic barriers are among the most significant obstacles to ART access. However, treatment costs rarely account for additional expenses such as transportation, accommodation, or lost work hours required for clinic visits, including consultations, monitoring exams, and procedures. These overlooked costs further increase the financial burden on patients. To mitigate geographical barriers, telehealth and remote monitoring technologies have emerged as promising solutions. Studies indicate that telehealth, when combined with remote ultrasound monitoring performed by local gynecologists, yields clinical outcomes comparable to traditional in-clinic monitoring, with high patient satisfaction. The development of remote ultrasound devices aims to enhance ART accessibility for patients facing logistical constraints. Research has demonstrated that these devices are non-inferior to conventional monitoring, providing similar oocyte and embryo outcomes while offering additional benefits such as increased patient autonomy, discretion, reduced stress, and lower costs. A survey of 146 Brazilian infertility patients assessed their acceptance of the remote ultrasound device, revealing that 88.3% were willing to conduct ultrasounds at home, provided that the image quality and diagnostic accuracy were comparable to those of clinic-based examinations. While infertility patients appear receptive to remote fertility care, concerns persist regarding the efficiency and reliability of remote monitoring. Therefore, identifying the most suitable patient profile for this approach is essential, with those already familiar with ART processes potentially being the most appropriate candidates.