In-vitro fertilization in France:200,000 “test-tube” babies in the last 30 years

Abstract

In 2003, one French birth in twenty (5%) was achieved after a medical treatment or procedure. In half of these cases (2.4%) conception was obtained through ovarian stimulation, and the other half by either artificial insemination (0.8%) or in-vitro fertilization (IVF) (1.7%). The proportion of births obtained after IVF alone has increased steadily over the last twenty years, rising from 0.52% of births in 1988 to 1.74% in 2006. This steady rise reflects both more frequent recourse to IVF and a better success rate (currently, 20-25% of attempts lead to the birth of at least one live child). In France, for 97% of children conceived by IVF, the social parents are also the genetic parents, i.e. no sperm or egg donations are involved. In 2006, only 304 children were born as a result of IVF with donor sperm, 106 with donor egg, and 10 with donor embryo.