Editorial Policy
Fertility Network USA publishes fertility clinic data and educational health content under a strict editorial framework. All clinical outcome data originates from the CDC NASS 2022 Annual Report. All health content is medically reviewed by a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist before publication and re-reviewed whenever the content is updated.
Data Sourcing Standard
Every clinical outcome statistic published on Fertility Network USA — including live birth rates, retrieval rates, transfer rates, and cycle volumes — originates from a single authoritative source: the CDC National ART Surveillance System (NASS) 2022 Annual Report, published by the US Department of Health and Human Services.
The CDC NASS is the only federally mandated reporting system for assisted reproductive technology in the United States. All ART clinics performing procedures in the US are legally required to report outcome data to the CDC under the Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act (FCSRCA) of 1992. This makes CDC NASS data the most complete, verified, and government-audited source of IVF outcome data available in the United States.
What the CDC NASS Data Covers
- Live birth rates per egg retrieval, broken down by patient age group
- Live birth rates per embryo transfer (fresh and frozen)
- Total ART cycle volumes per clinic and per year
- Procedure type breakdown: IVF, ICSI, PGT, donor egg, frozen embryo transfer
- Singleton vs. multiple birth rates per clinic
- Patient diagnosis categories (e.g., diminished ovarian reserve, male factor)
What We Do Not Use
- Self-reported data provided directly by clinics to this site
- SART (Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology) data, which is voluntary and clinic-opt-in
- Marketing materials, clinic websites, or press releases
- Patient reviews or unverified testimonials as outcome data
- Paid data partnerships or sponsored "success rate" listings
Primary source: CDC National ART Surveillance System Annual Reports ↗
Medical Review Process
All health and procedural content published on Fertility Network USA — including all blog articles about IVF, IUI, egg freezing, ICSI, PGT-A, and other fertility treatments — is medically reviewed by a board-certified reproductive endocrinologist and infertility specialist before publication.
Medical Reviewer
Rachel M. Vandenberg, MD, FACOG
Board-Certified Reproductive Endocrinologist & Infertility Specialist
What Medical Review Covers
- Factual accuracy of all procedural descriptions (IVF steps, ICSI process, PGT-A methodology)
- Accuracy of all clinical statistics cited from CDC NASS and peer-reviewed literature
- Clinical appropriateness of patient-facing guidance (indications, contraindications, risks)
- Currency of information relative to current ASRM Practice Guidelines
- Identification of claims that require additional peer-reviewed citations
Editorial Process — Step by Step
Every article published on Fertility Network USA follows a defined 5-step editorial process from brief to publication.
Topic Assignment Against the Topical Map
Topics are selected based on a structured topical map covering the full fertility treatment entity space — IVF, IUI, ART, ICSI, PGT, egg freezing, diagnoses, and outcome data. Topics are prioritized by search demand, entity completeness, and relevance to CDC data we already hold.
Data Compilation from CDC NASS
Before writing begins, the CDC NASS 2022 dataset is queried for all relevant statistics: procedure volumes, live birth rates by age group, success rates by diagnosis. All cited numbers are pulled directly from the CDC report and are recorded with their specific table and page reference.
Content Drafting — Semantic Standards
Articles are written to Koray Tuğberk GÜBÜR's semantic SEO content standards: declarative, factual statements in every sentence; no hedging language; full entity-attribute-value coverage; question-based headings. Procedural content follows ASRM terminology and nomenclature.
Medical Review by Dr. Vandenberg
The drafted article is reviewed by Dr. Rachel M. Vandenberg, MD, FACOG. She checks factual accuracy, clinical appropriateness, and flags any claims requiring additional peer-reviewed citations. Her review is documented before the article is marked approved for publication.
Publication with Full Provenance
Published articles display the datePublished, the dateModified (updated each time the article is revised), and the medical reviewer byline. The Article schema includes reviewedBy and author as Person entities, and isBasedOn linking to the CDC NASS Dataset.
Content Update Frequency
Fertility Network USA maintains a defined update schedule for all content types. Freshness is not cosmetic — the dateModified field in every Article schema block is updated only when substantive content changes are made, not for minor formatting changes.
| Content Type | Review Trigger | Target Cadence |
|---|---|---|
| Clinic success rate data | New CDC NASS Annual Report published (typically Q3–Q4 each year) | Annual |
| Blog articles — procedural (What Is IVF, What Is ICSI, etc.) | New ASRM Practice Guidelines, significant new peer-reviewed evidence, or CDC data update | Annual minimum; within 60 days of guideline change |
| Blog articles — cost and insurance | State mandate law changes, market rate surveys, clinic fee changes | Semi-annual |
| Blog articles — success rate data | New CDC NASS Annual Report | Annual, immediately upon CDC publication |
| Clinic directory listings | New CDC NASS Annual Report; verified clinic status change | Annual; immediate for closures/openings |
| This Editorial Policy | Any change to data sources, review personnel, or publication standards | As needed; date displayed above |
Editorial Independence
Fertility Network USA operates as an independent information directory. Editorial decisions — which clinics are listed, what success rate data is displayed, and what content is published — are made independently of commercial relationships.
- No clinic pays to alter, suppress, or improve its CDC success rate data on this site
- No clinic pays to be included in or excluded from the directory
- Paid advertising or featured placement, if offered in future, is clearly labelled as "Sponsored" and does not affect data presentation
- The medical reviewer has no financial relationship with any clinic listed in the directory
- Content topics are chosen based on topical completeness, not commercial interest
- The site is not affiliated with any fertility clinic, hospital system, pharmaceutical company, or government agency
Corrections Policy
Fertility Network USA is committed to factual accuracy. If a factual error is identified in any published content — whether by a reader, a clinician, or our own editorial team — the following process applies:
Error Reported
Errors can be reported via email to [email protected]. Please include the page URL, the specific claim in question, and your suggested correction with a supporting source.
Review Within 5 Business Days
The editorial team and medical reviewer assess the reported error within 5 business days. If a factual error is confirmed, a correction is made immediately.
Correction Applied and Dated
The corrected article's dateModified field is updated to reflect the correction date. For significant factual corrections, a brief correction note is added to the article.
Questions about our data or editorial standards?
Contact the Editorial Team