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Every year, patients undergo millions of in vitro fertilization procedures worldwide. Only a minority result in a live birth.
In an effort to improve the odds, scientists have developed an array of “add-ons” that could in theory identify the most robust eggs, sperm and embryos or make the uterine lining more hospitable. Some patients pay thousands of dollars for these procedures, on top of the high costs of I.V.F.
But a study published Tuesday found no indication that most of these add-ons work.
“There isn’t great evidence that most I.V.F. add-ons help patients to get pregnant and have a baby,” said Sarah Lensen, a senior research fellow at the University of Melbourne and lead author of the study, which was published in The Lancet Obstetrics, Gynecology and Women’s Health.
Only three of the 10 add-ons the researchers examined were supported by high-quality studies.
One of these was endometrial scratching, in which the uterine lining is scratched to try to make it more receptive to an embryo. The authors concluded it “might be associated with a small increase in the chance...