Digital support tools for fertility patients – a narrative systematic review

Figures & data

Figure 1. PRISMA flowchart.

Figure 2. Features available in the digital tools identified within the review. Pie chart below each feature indicates the percentage of included tools containing each feature (blue), not included as feature in the tool (red).

Table 1. Identified digital tools by type/primary aim.

Type/aim of digital tool	Identified digital tools
Apps for Practical Support	My Fertility Diary - IVF Rx
	Naula: Your IVF Treatment Simplified
	iMineIVF
	Kindbody:Fertility Care
	Artisan Fertility Patient App
	IVF Riga
	IHMED IVF
	Alhadi-ivflebabon
	Dr Akash Gaijar
	IVF Planner
	Ideal Fertility
	SERUM Fertility- IVF Navigator
	Salve
	SART Mobile App
	eIVF mobile
	KNH Fertility Centre
	City Fertility
	Sunfert International
	IVF IMED
	myEmbryolab
	Fakih IVF
	Embryomobile
	The Barbados Fertility App
Apps for Practical and psychological support	Bonzun IVF
	WiStim
	MediEmo
	Apricity - Your Fertility Care Companion
	Infotility
	Fertility View Fertility and IVF Support
	Embie
Apps for psychological support	FertiCalm
	FertiStrong
	IVF Relax
	IVF Positivity
	Das Wunschkind
	Mindful IVF
	MindfulSpot
Web based programs for practical support	Internet based personal health record
	OnTrack
Web based programs for psychological support	Infertility Source
	Web-based Coping with Infertility
	Pleasure and Pregnancy Programme
	DigiCoach
	Child Wish Online Coaching
	Online Mind/ Body Intervention
SMS (Text message) based tool for psychological support	Smartphone assisted positive adjustment Coping intervention

Table 2. Features included within digital support tools.

Digital tool	Target population -1st if global	Calendar	Medication notification	Appointment booking	Information	Personalised information/ test results	Psychological support	Forum	2-way Direct messaging	1-way Messaging Dr to pt	Prognostic calculators	EHR integration
Alhadi-ivflebanon	Lebanon			x	x
Apricity – Your Fertility Care Companion	UK	x			x		x		x
Artisan Fertility Patient App	USA	x			x				x
Bonzun IVF	Sweden	x	x		x		x
Child Wish Online Coaching	Switzerland						x	x	x
City Fertility	Australia	x							x
DigiCoach	The Netherlands						x		x
Dr Akash Gajjar	India			x	x				x
eIVF mobile	USA	x		x	x	x				x		x
Embie	Israel	x	x		x		x	x
Embryomobile	Spain				x	x
Fakih IVF	UAE	x			x				x
FertiCalm	USA						x
Fertility View - Fertility and IVF support	USA	x			x		x	x
Fertistrong	USA						x
Ideal Fertility	India	x		x	x
IHMED Fertility	Taiwan	x		x	x	x			x
iMineIVF	USA	x			x	x
Infertility Source	USA				x		x
Infotility	Canada				x	x	x	x
Internet based PHR	The Netherlands				x	x	x	x	x			x
IVF Coaching	Iceland	x			x		x
IVF IMED	Armenia				x	x			x
IVF Planner	USA	x
IVF Positvity	Australia						x
IVF Relax	Australia						x
IVF Riga	Latvia	x		x					x
Kindbody: Fertility Care	USA	x		x	x	x					x
KNH Fertility Centre	India			x	x
MediEmo	UK	x	x		x		x			x
Mindful IVF	Ireland						x
Mindful Spot	Portugal						x
My Fertility Diary - IVF Rx	India	x
myEmbryolab	Greece	x		x	x	x			x
Naula: Your IVF Treatment Simplified	USA	x	x		x
Online MBI	USA				x		x
OnTrack	USA		x		x				x
Pleasure and Pregnancy	The Netherlands				x		x	x
ReUnite Fertility App	USA	x			x
Salve	UK	x	x		x	x			x			x
SART Mobile App	USA	x		x	x				x		x
Smartphone PACI	Germany						x
Sunfert International	Malaysia			x	x
The Barbados Fertility App	Barbados	x		x	x
Web-based CWI	USA				x		x
WiStim	France	x	x		x	x			x	x

Table 3. Results of thematic analysis of app reviews.

Themes identified	Definition	Subthemes	Extracts
Easily accessibility of information and organisational tools was valued	Reviewers found having information and helpful tools easily accessible useful	Communication/ messaging valued Complex process made easier	‘everything is at the tip of my fingers’ ‘keeps me on my toes’
User felt cared for through the app	Users felt had additional layer of support through use of digital tool	Reduced anxiety Ability to access tool at any time valued	‘It’s like they knew exactly what needed to hear’ ‘I love the care and attention I get’ ‘I think this was made for me’
Costs felt unfair	Additional out-of-pocket costs disliked on top of expensive treatment process.	IVF treatment already expensive Dislike having to pay for the most useful features	‘I don’t think asking people who are spending thousands of pounds on fertility treatment to spend even more on this is fair’ ‘As many/most if not all of you know how expensive IVF is … who has the extra money to throw at an app’.
Technical problems frustrated otherwise motivated users	Users tried to use the app but encountered difficulties.	Frequent login annoying Problem with tool added stress to already difficult experience	‘I like that….however it often freezes’ ‘I dislike it greatly…IVF already sucks this is the last thing I need’ ‘The app is good….but just so slow moving between options and super frustrating to have to login every time’