Evidence map›Paper›PMID 42855686›Full record

Trial reportBMC women's health2026

Women's experiences of a medically supervised fasting intervention for infertility: a qualitative study.

Jocelyn N Behling, Katharina T May, Katharina Batschari, Katharina Sochiera-Plegniere, Sarah B Blakeslee, Wiebke Stritter, Michael Jeitler, Farid I Kandil, Barbara Kunz, Alexandra Prüß and 2 more

Registry-linked trialAbstract readRandomized Controlled Trial
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Trial report in BMC women's health, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT04942457 (Effects of Fasting in Fertility Treatment in Women), which is not on this map. Not yet cited in PubMed.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
0citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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.

NCT04942457 nacompletednot on this map

Effects of Fasting in Fertility Treatment in Women

TypeinterventionalSponsorCharite University, Berlin, GermanyRan2022 to 2023Enrolled34ConditionsSub Fertility, Female, Fertility Disorders, Cycle Disorders Menstrual, Ovulation DisorderArmsFasting
3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

0 citing papers in PubMed.

No citing paper in PubMed yet.

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

12 authors.

Jocelyn N BehlingInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany. jocelyn.behling@charite.de.ORCID http://orcid.org/0009-0004-2587-684X
Katharina T MayInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Katharina BatschariInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Katharina Sochiera-PlegniereInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Sarah B BlakesleeCharité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Wiebke StritterCharité Competence Center for Traditional and Integrative Medicine (CCCTIM), Berlin Institute of Health, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Michael JeitlerInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Farid I KandilInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Barbara KunzDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, Am Kleinen Wannsee 5A, Berlin, 14109, Germany.
Alexandra PrüßDepartment of Internal Medicine and Nature-Based Therapies, Immanuel Hospital Berlin, Am Kleinen Wannsee 5A, Berlin, 14109, Germany.
Andreas MichalsenInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.
Daniela A KoppoldInstitute of Social Medicine, Epidemiology, and Health Economics, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Corporate Member of Freie Universität Berlin and Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Charitéplatz 1, Berlin, 10117, Germany.

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundInfertility affects couples in Germany and worldwide, with impacts on quality of life. Although fertility treatments are available, success rates often remain limited, and treatments are associated with physical and psychological burdens. Consequently, many seek alternative or complementary approaches to support fertility. To investigate one such approach, an RCT was conducted to examine the effects of a medically supervised prolonged, fluid-only fasting intervention (< 500 kcal/day) on fertility-related outcomes. Nested within this trial, this qualitative study explores women's experiences with the intervention, focusing on its acceptability and its perceived physical and psychological effects.

methodsThe study accompanied a randomized controlled trial in which fasting served as an intervention to assess its potential effects on fertility. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted after the intervention and analysed using inductive thematic analysis, with regular research group discussions ensuring consistency and rigor. All participants available and willing to participate in the qualitative study were interviewed. In total, eight women were interviewed between February 2022 and January 2023.

resultsFasting was generally well-received. Challenges included fatigue, taste dissatisfaction, and cravings, low mood and social withdrawal. Participants' motivation, coping strategies, and dietitian support helped manage these difficulties. Reported benefits included physical well-being, improved mood, and a sense of inner balance. Fasting was valued for offering an active role in fertility treatment. Post-fast, some expressed a renewed hope for fertility treatment, while others described a shift away from their formerly intense focus on conception.

conclusionsMedically supervised prolonged fluid-only fasting was perceived as acceptable by women experiencing infertility, with both benefits and challenges reported throughout the fasting experience.

trial registrationRegistry: ClinicalTrials.gov, TRN: NCT04942457, Registration date: 10 May 2021.

Indexed as

FastingInfertilityInfertility, FemaleAdaptation, PsychologicalAdultFemaleGermanyHumansMotivationQualitative ResearchQuality of LifeFastingInfertilityMotivationPersonal narratives as topicQualitative researchTreatment acceptability

Identifiers

PMID42855686

What Socratic holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

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.