Research and collaborations
Current research partnerships and collaborations
VARTA is the lead agency in the Fertility Coalition, a group of five independent organisations running the Your Fertility program, including Healthy Male, Jean Hailes for Women's Health, Global and Women's Health at Monash University, and the Robinson Research Institute at The University of Adelaide. Your Fertility is a national program to educate Australians who want children, or want more children, about some of the key factors that affect fertility. This work is funded by the Commonwealth Department of Health and the Victorian Department of Health.
- VARTA is a member of the NHMRC CRE-WHiRL (Centre for Research Excellence in Women’s Health in Reproductive Life).
- Healthtalk Australia: Experiences of infertility and fertility treatment: A qualitative research and online resource development project.
Dr Sarah Lensen, University of Melbourne
- IVF add-ons in Australia and New Zealand: a systematic assessment of IVF clinic websites.
- IVF add-on use in Australia: a patient survey.
- IVF add-ons: a qualitative investigation of drivers of use.
- Practices of using endometrial scratching by fertility clinics across Australia, NZ and the UK.
Dr Kiri Beilby, Monash University (supervisor of a student project)
- Patient-centred care in ART: adaptation and validation of an assessment tool.
Dr Michelle Peate, University of Melbourne (supervisor of a student project)
- A survey of the impact of AMH testing on women, how they accessed the test and what they did with the results.
- ‘Eggsurance’ A randomised controlled trial of the effectiveness of a decision aid for women considering oocyte cryopreservation.
Dr Edwina Dorney, The University of Sydney (PhD candidate supervised by Professor Kirstin Black)
- Evaluation, optimisation and dissemination of an online preconception health self-assessment tool.
Dr Karin Hammarberg, Monash University
- Evaluation of an online learning module to improve nurses' and midwives' capacity to promote preconception health in primary health care settings.
- 'Improving access to surrogacy in Australia' (supervisor of a PhD student project)
- 'Emerging assisted reproduction markets in Southern Africa' Australian Research Council (ARC) funded project, Chief investigator
- International Fertility Education Initiative (IFEI), Deputy Chair
Dr Tessa Copp, The University of Sydney
- Clinician-reported attitudes, knowledge and experiences of AMH testing.
- Anti-Mullerian hormone (AMH) test information on Australian and New Zealand fertility clinic websites: A content analysis.
Professor Ben Mol (supervisor of a student project)
- A survey of patients’ knowledge and understanding of IVF treatment.
Publications
You can find publications involving VARTA here.
Participate in research
Current opportunities to participate in research:
Patient Centered Care in Australian Fertility Clinics: A Survey of Australian's Experiences with Fertility Care and Assisted Reproductive Treatment
Monash University
Researchers at Monash University are conducting a study about experiences with fertility care and assisted reproductive treatment. Find out more.
Elective Egg Freezers' Disposition Decisions: A Quantitative Study
The University of Melbourne
Researchers at the University of Melbourne are conducting research with people (female assigned at birth) who currently have eggs in storage. Find out more.
THE RECEIVE Study - A survey of women’s perspectives on receiving a donor egg
The University of Melbourne | Project ID: 22538]
The University of Melbourne researchers are seeking women in Australia, over the age of 18 years, who have ever considered, or been recommended to use donor eggs to conceive. Includes women who have come to the end of their own (biological) IVF or ICSI journey. The survey is anonymous and will take 20 minutes to complete. Find out more.
Financialisation of Fertility
Deakin University & University of the Witswatersrand | Project ID: HAE-21-109
Deakin University researchers want to survey people about their experience of paying for fertility treatment. The survey is anonymous and will take 15-20 minutes. Find out more.
The journey of trying to have a baby
Deakin University | Project ID: 2018-176
A separate group of Deakin University researchers are looking for people to share their experiences of trying to have a baby for more than one year by completing a questionnaire. This research will help us better understand how we can support people in this journey in the future. Click here to find out more.
If you would like to feature your research here, please contact us at media@varta.org.au All research projects need to be relevant to fertility treatment in Victoria, with ethics approval.