The Evaluation of a Preparatory Information Movie on Oocyte Aspiration

Title: The evaluation of a preparatory information movie on oocyte aspiration: a Randomized Controlled Trial (POAM-RCT) Study purpose: To evaluate whether the preparatory information movie on oocyte aspiration (POAM) decreases the anxiety of ART-couples on the day of their first oocyte aspiration.

Primary outcome: The primary outcome is women's 'state anxiety', which will be assessed with the reliable 'State Trait Anxiety Inventory, state module (STAI-state)' questionnaire upon arrival at the fertility clinic on the day of the oocyte aspiration.

Secondary outcomes: Three secondary patient-reported outcomes will be assessed simultaneously with the primary outcome, upon arrival at the fertility clinic for oocyte aspiration.

First, men's state anxiety will assessed with the STAI-state questionnaire. Second and third, in both women and men, infertility-specific distress will be assessed.

The following two secondary clinical outcomes will be followed-up in all couples 12 weeks after the oocyte aspiration: clinical pregnancy with fetal heart beat and miscarriage in case of clinical pregnancy with fetal heart beat.

Other outcomes: As a follow-up the following will be extracted from the medical charts of participating couples twelve months after the oocyte aspiration: long-term clinical outcomes (i.e. live birth from the first fresh embryo transfer, clinical pregnancy with fetal heart beat from the frozen embryo transfers of 1st IVF-cycle and the 12-months cumulative clinical pregnancy rates) and long-term discontinuation parameters (i.e. censored by their medical doctor to discontinue, IVF-delay or number of untreated cycles within 12 months and IVF-discontinuation or whether or not start a 2nd IVF-cycle was started within 12 months).

Study design: Randomized controlled trial Sample size: 190 couples will be randomized to the intervention or control group Summary of eligibility criteria: Inclusion criteria: Couples treated with a 1st cycle of ART (IVF or ICSI; with or without PGD). Couples with a genetic indication for PGD can be included as they are an important patient group and are as likely as infertile patients to experience anxiety when they first come for oocyte retrieval.

Exclusion criterion: Couples going through a subsequent cycle of ART are not eligible as they are not treatment naïve, but already know, from their first cycle, what will happen on the day of oocyte aspiration.

Maximum duration of treatment of a subject: Each couple will participate from their ART-intake until the day of their first oocyte aspiration.

Couples will be asked for informed consent during their ART-intake (i.e. individual or group session with midwife; 1-3 months prior to oocyte aspiration) and will then be randomized to either the intervention group or the control group.

Participating couples of the intervention group will receive care as usual and will watch the preparatory information movie on oocyte aspiration (POAM) 1-3 days before their oocyte aspiration. Their gynecologist or midwife will empower them to watch the movie when they call them to plan the oocyte aspiration and will send them the secured link to the movie via email.

Participating couples of the control group will receive care as usual (as will participating couples of the intervention group) and will not get access to the preparatory information movie on oocyte aspiration (POAM).

When they arrive at the fertility clinic on the day of oocyte aspiration both partners of participating couples of the intervention and control group will be asked to fill out a questionnaire (5-10 minutes) before any clinical procedures are performed.

Inclusion criteria

(i) Heterosexual woman and her partner

(ii) Dutch speaking

(iii) Treated with a 1st cycle of IVF (IVF or ICSI; with or without PGD)

Exclusion criteria

(i) Having already experienced an IVF-cycle in the same of another clinic