Guideline development process
ESHRE has established a procedure for developing evidence-based guidelines, which is described in the "Manual for guideline development" below.
Based on the Manual for guideline development, ESHRE also established a procedure for developing Recommendations for Good Practice documents.
If you have an interest for guideline development, you can participate by proposing a topic for the next guideline, or by reviewing a document. Specific calls for guideline development group, or working group members will be published on the ESHRE homepage, or send by email to the ESHRE members. More information on development of guidelines and Recommendations for Good Practice can be found on this page.
Manual for ESHRE Guideline Development and Manual for development of recommendations for good practice
The Manual for ESHRE guideline development was updated by the ESHRE research specialists in collaboration with a working group of ESHRE members with expertise in guideline development. The updated manual has been approved by the Executive Committee (April 2026).
Evidence-based guidelines are primarily based on high quality evidence and appropriate for areas where such scientific evidence is available. The Manual for ESHRE guideline development contains the detailed methodology for guideline development, for new and revised guidelines.
The Manual for development of Recommendations for Good Practice was developed to structure and unify the methodology of ESHRE guidance documents in areas where no evidence is available and/or where more practical recommendations are needed on how to approach diagnosis, treatments and procedures.
More information can be provided by the guidelines team - guidelines@eshre.eu
Application for Guideline Development
New proposals for topics for ESHRE evidence-based guidelines or Recommendations for Good Practice can be send throughout the year to the ESHRE research specialists (guidelines@eshre.eu) using the application form (one form for evidence-based guidelines and Recommendations for Good Practice).
In a first step, proposals will be shared with the relevant Special Interest Group (SIG) coordinator for feedback. In a next step, proposals will be presented at one of the following meetings of the Guidelines Committee. The Committee will decide if the topic is suitable for guideline development and if fits within the ESHRE guideline portfolio on which guidelines/recommendations will be produced by ESHRE. The ESHRE Executive Committee will revise the advice of the Guidelines Committee and will make the final decision if the proposal is acceptable for development.
Stakeholder review
Before any guideline or Recommendations for Good Practice document is published, future users are invited to evaluate the adequacy of the document, especially for its methodological quality, its clinical content and its applicability.
At the end of the guideline or Recommendations for Good Practice document development, a call is opened for 4-6 weeks for the registration of stakeholders who which to participate in the stakeholder review.
Stakeholders who have registered will be invited to review the guideline or Recommendations for Good Practice document and submit feedback by submitting a completed reviewers comment form.
If you are interested in being personally invited to the review of a document in development, please send an e-mail with your name and the guideline/recommendations document that you are interested in to guidelines@eshre.eu (mention “review” in the subject).
Policy for the translation of ESHRE Guidelines and other documents
ESHRE has developed a
policy for the translation of ESHRE Guidelines and other documents. If you have any questions regarding the policy, or you want to translate an ESHRE guideline, you can contact the guidelines team at:
guidelines@eshre.eu