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Although the benefit of in vitro fertilization has been proven in the context of tubal occlusion, assisted reproductive technology (ART) is offered for a host of other indications. The number of pregnancies achieved through ART is growing and has reached 3% to 4% of all births in some European countries. The national health systems in those countries make it possible to estimate the likelihood that women who are awaiting IVF or intracytoplasmic sperm injection will become pregnant spontaneously. Researchers in the Netherlands (1 of 2 countries with national guidelines for IVF indications) followed 5962 couples who were on waiting lists at IVF clinics.
The cumulative probability of becoming pregnant before initiation of ART was 9% at 12 month…