Up to 246,000 Babies Born Each Year Through Assisted Reproduction
The study, conducted between 2000-2002, involved 1563 fertility clinics in 53 different countries. Researchers attempted to get data from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the West Indies, but were unable to get data from these countries. They estimated that between 219,000-246,000 babies were are born each year as a result of assisted reproduction techniques (ART) and that the countries missing from the report accounted for 10-20% of all births.
The report is useful for medical professionals because it can show them which countries are doing better, and by which method, allowing them to develop more successful treatments and more accurately advise clients on the benefits and risks of a treatment.
Professor Jacques de Mouzon, lead author of the study, said
"There has been a constant increase in ART activity: it increased by more than 25% in the two years since the previous report for the year 2000. This is due not only to an increase in the number of countries participating in this report but also to an increase in ART activity in most individual countries."
He also suggested that the reason the absent countries only accounted for a small percentage of births was because the majority of infertile couples had a low income and could not afford IVF procedures. This introduced the question of whether low cost IVF schemes should be introduced.
Increases
The following increases in treatment were seen:
- intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) useage increased from 54% to 61% in North America, from 46% to 54% in Europe, and by 2002 rates were 76% in Latin America and more than 92% in the Middle East.
- IVF achieved a success rate of 22%, rising from 19%
- ICSI success rates improved 1% from its previous figure of 20%
- Frozen embryo transfer success rates rose from 12% to 15%
- When rates for fresh and frozen embryos were combined, a success rate of 26% was achieved.
- The number of frozen embryo transfers increased by 47%
Why is ART Increasing?
The increase seen was not only due to more countries taking part in the research and was statistically significant even when that was taken into consideration.
Scientists aren't sure of the reasons behind the increase in ICSI, because this treatment does not increase the chances of conception unless the man has a low sperm count or abnormal sperm, and there hasn't been the same dramatic increase in male factor infertility. Theories behind the increase include:
- An increase in male fertility is happening but has not been studied
- There are more accurate methods of diagnosing fertility problems
- There are more men who are willing to seek help for infertility problems
- Countries such as the Middle East or Asia may be using ICSI for patients who don't need it because they don't have the scientific evidence against it.
Despite this, the rate for multiple births reduced. Twin pregnancies were reduced from 26.5% to 25.7% and triplet pregnancies from 2.9% to 2.5%, cutting the risk of complications in pregnancy, caesarean section, premature birth, congenital defects and disabilities in babies.
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