Kaplan-Meier Estimate
A Kaplan-Meier estimate is a statistical method that tracks how a group reaches an event over time while making room for people who stop being followed. In fertility research the event is usually a pregnancy or a birth. It is a close relative of life-table analysis and answers the same question.
The method lets a study report a cumulative rate at a chosen point, such as 24 months. In an Australian case series of 162 couples in restorative care, the Kaplan-Meier live birth rate at 24 months was 57.4 percent. Among the 74 couples whose infertility had been called unexplained, it was 71.2 percent.1
Always ask which rate a number is. A crude count and a Kaplan-Meier estimate from one study measure the same care two different ways.
Cited in this entry
- James G, Mclindon LA, Hatch J, Mol BW, Turner JV. Pregnancy outcomes from a restorative infertility treatment model: a single centre case series. medRxiv. 2021. https://doi.org/10.1101/2021.04.14.21251044
This content is for educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Consult an RRM clinician or healthcare provider for guidance specific to your situation.
