Comparison of a Web-Based Teaching Tool and Traditional Didactic Learning for In Vitro Fertilization Patients: A Preliminary Randomized Controlled Trial

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this prospective RCT was to compare the efficacy of a web-based teaching tool to traditional didactic teaching in IVF patients. METHODS: Forty women undergoing their first IVF cycle were randomly allocated to an interactive web-based teaching session or a nurse-led didactic teaching session. The primary outcome measure was participant knowledge regarding the IVF process, risks, and logistics assessed before and after the respective teaching session. Secondary outcomes included patient stress, assessed before and after the respective teaching session, and patient satisfaction, assessed following the respective teaching session and on the day of embryo transfer (following implementation of the teaching protocol). RESULTS: Both groups demonstrated similar and significant improvements in knowledge and stress after exposure to their respective teaching sessions. The web-based group was significantly more satisfied than the didactic teaching group. Web-based teaching was also shown to be equally effective for participants of high versus low income and education status for knowledge, stress, and satisfaction. CONCLUSION: This study provides preliminary support for the use of web-based teaching as an equally effective tool for increasing knowledge and reducing stress compared to traditional didactic teaching in IVF patients, with the added benefit of increased patient satisfaction.