| Summary: | Selective reporting can bias estimates of effect, yet methods to detect such biases are limited. One method is to search ClinicalTrials.gov (CT.gov) and (a) compare studies identified there to published studies (to detect publication bias) and (b) compare planned analyses and outcomes reported in CT.gov to those reported in the final publication (to detect reporting bias). While conceptually sound, this approach may be labor-intensive, and its utility is uncertain. The overall goal of this project was to evaluate the utility of CT.gov for detecting selective reporting, and to determine the impact of selective reporting on the estimates of treatment effect. A secondary goal was to estimate the person-hours required to complete these analyses. To accomplish this goal, an ongoing systematic review entitled Management of Infertility was used to explore differences between information from published sources included in the review and CT.gov. The objectives of this systematic review are to evaluate the comparative safety and effectiveness of treatment strategies for: a) women of reproductive age (18-44) who are subfertile/infertile due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), endometriosis, unknown reasons, or tubal or peritoneal factors; or b) couples with male factor infertility; and evaluate short- and long-term health outcomes of gamete donors in infertility
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