Evidence map›Paper›PMID 32970334›Full record

ArticlePaediatric and perinatal epidemiology2021

Sporadic anovulation is not an important determinant of becoming pregnant and time to pregnancy among eumenorrheic women: A simulation study.

Elizabeth A DeVilbiss, Joseph B Stanford, Sunni L Mumford, Lindsey A Sjaarda, Keewan Kim, Jessica R Zolton, Neil J Perkins, Enrique F Schisterman

Open access · greenAbstract read
In one paragraph

Article in Paediatric and perinatal epidemiology, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 2 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
2citing papers in PubMed
0.8field-weighted citation impact, top 25% of its field
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

2 citing papers in PubMed, 6 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Article
  2. Article
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

8 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.

Elizabeth A DeVilbissEpidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-8840-0505
Joseph B StanfordDepartment of Family and Preventive Medicine, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT, USA.ORCID 0000-0002-9932-3947
Sunni L MumfordEpidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0133-3176
Lindsey A SjaardaEpidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.ORCID 0000-0003-0539-8110
Keewan KimEpidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Jessica R ZoltonEpidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Neil J PerkinsEpidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Enrique F SchistermanEpidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, Bethesda, MD, USA.
Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development · USUniversity of Utah · US

Funding

EAGeR Trial - The Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction TrialZIAHD008795 · NICHD · EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT · PI PERKINS, NEIL · 2009 to 2025
$9.6M
ROC Curve MethodologyZIAHD008761 · NICHD · EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT · PI SCHISTERMAN, ENRIQUE F. · 2009 to 2021
$2.1M
EAGeR Trial - The Effects of Aspirin in Gestation and Reproduction TrialZ01HD008795 · NICHD · EUNICE KENNEDY SHRIVER NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF CHILD HEALTH & HUMAN DEVELOPMENT · PI SCHISTERMAN, ENRIQUE · 2007 to 2008
$596k
Intramural NIH HHS Z01 HD008795Intramural NIH HHS ZIA HD008795NICHD NIH HHS HHSN2672006034NICHD NIH HHS HHSN267200603423NICHD NIH HHS HHSN267200603424
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundAttaining pregnancy is conditional upon a series of complex processes, including adequately timed intercourse, ovulation, fertilisation, and implantation. Anovulation is a first-line treatment target for couples with difficulty conceiving and is frequently examined in studies of fecundability.

objectivesTo identify whether sporadic anovulation is an important determinant of cumulative pregnancy rates and time to pregnancy among fertile women with regular menstrual cycles.

methodsWe simulated cumulative pregnancy rates and time to pregnancy for 12 consecutive menstrual cycles among 100 000 women based on data-driven probabilities of implantation, fertilisation, ovulation, and intercourse occurring in the fertile window. We assumed anovulation probabilities of 1%, 8%, or 14.5% and intercourse averaging once per week, every other day, or daily. The model incorporated reductions in implantation and fertilisation rates for successive cycles of non-pregnancy.

resultsAfter 12 cycles, a reduction in the per cycle incidence of anovulation from 14.5% to 1% resulted in a 4.0% higher cumulative pregnancy rate (86.7% vs 90.7%) and similar time to pregnancy (1-cycle median difference). In contrast, increasing mean unscheduled sexual intercourse frequency from weekly to every other day was associated with a 5-cycle median reduction in time to pregnancy (weekly: 7 cycles; every other day or daily: 2 cycles) and a 28.9% increase in the cumulative pregnancy rate (weekly: 59.9%, every other day: 88.8%; daily: 91.6%).

conclusionsIn presumed fertile women with regular menstrual cycles, routine investigation of anovulation may not be an informative outcome in studies of fecundability, and routine testing to ensure ovulation and treatment of anovulation are unlikely to be medically necessary. While biomarkers or cervical fluid may help time intercourse to the fertile window, time to pregnancy can also be improved through increasing the frequency of unscheduled intercourse. These findings need corroboration in large preconception time to pregnancy studies.

Indexed as

AnovulationEmbryo ImplantationFemaleFertilizationHumansPregnancyPregnancy RateTime-to-Pregnancycoitusembryo implantationhumansmenstrual cycleovulationpregnancy rate

Identifiers

PMID32970334
PMCPMC7854799
OpenAlexW3089141415

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
LicenceTDM
Read underepoch 390

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 Socratic graph.