Obstet Gynecol Sci.  2013 Nov;56(6):353-361. 10.5468/ogs.2013.56.6.353.

Current status of assisted reproductive technology in Korea, 2009

• Committee for Assisted Reproductive Technology, Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Choi YM
• Chun SS
• Han HD
• Hwang JH
• Hwang KJ
• Kang IS
• Kim DW
• Kim KC
• Kim T
• Kwon HC
• Lee WD
• Lee JH
• Lee KS
• Lee GH
• Lee SH
• Lee YI
• Min EG
• Moon HS
• Moon SY
• Roh SI
• Yoon TK

• KMID: 1500368
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5468/ogs.2013.56.6.353

Abstract

Great advances have been made in the field of assisted reproductive technology (ART) since the first in vitro fertilization (IVF) baby was born in Korea in the year of 1985. However, it deserve to say that the invaluable data from fertility centers may serve as a useful source to find out which factors affect successful IVF outcome and to offer applicable information to infertile patients and fertility clinics. This article intended to report the status of ART in 2009 Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology surveyed. The current survey was performed to assess the status and success rate of ART performed in Korea, between January 1 and December 31, 2009. Reporting forms had been sent out to IVF centers via e-mail, and collected by e-mail as well in 2012. With International Committee Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies recommendation, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) and non-ICSI cases have been categorized and also IVF-ET cases involving frozen embryo replacement have been surveyed separately. Seventy-four centers have reported the treatment cycles initiated in the year of 2009, and had performed a total of 27,947 cycles of ART treatments. Among a total of 27,947 treatment cycles, IVF and ICSI cases added up to 22,049 (78.9%), with 45.3% IVF without ICSI and 54.7% IVF with ICSI, respectively. Among the IVF and ICSI patients, patients confirmed to have achieved clinical pregnancy was 28.8% per cycle with oocyte retrieval, and 30.9% per cycle with embryo transfer. The most common number of embryos transferred in 2009 is three embryos (40.4%), followed by 2 embryos (28.4%) and a single embryo transferred (13.6%). Among IVF and ICSI cycles that resulted in multiple live births, twin pregnancy rate was 45.3% and triple pregnancy rate was 1.1%. A total of 191 cases of oocyte donation had been performed to result in 25.0% of live birth rate. Meanwhile, a total of 5,619 cases of frozen embryo replacement had been performed with 33.7% of clinical pregnancy rate per cycle with embryo transfer. When comparing with international registry data, clinical pregnancy rate per transfer from fresh IVF cycles including ICSI (34.1%,) was comparable to clinical pregnancy rate per transfer in European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology report was 32.5% though lower than 45.0% for USA data. There was no remarkable difference in status of assisted reproductive technology in Korea between the current report and the data reported in 2008. The age of women trying to get pregnant was reconfirmed to be the most important factor that may have impact on success of ART treatment.

Keyword

International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies; Korea; Reproductive techniques; Survey

MeSH Terms

Electronic Mail
Embryo Transfer
Female
Fertility
Fertilization in Vitro
Humans
Korea*
Live Birth
Oocyte Donation
Oocyte Retrieval
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Rate
Pregnancy, Twin
Reproduction
Reproductive Techniques
Reproductive Techniques, Assisted*
Sperm Injections, Intracytoplasmic

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Location of certified assisted reproductive technology clinics in Korea, 2009.

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  Fig. 2 Types of assisted reproductive technology procedures. IVF-ET, in vitro fertilization and embryo transfer; ICSI, intracytoplasmic sperm injection; FER, frozen embryos replacement; OD, oocyte donation.

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  Fig. 3 Percentage of assisted reproductive technology users by ages: in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

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  Fig. 4 Clinical pregnancy rates by age of woman, in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection. CP, clinical pregnancy.

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  Fig. 5 Primary diagnosis for assisted reproductive technology procedures, in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

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  Fig. 6 Clinical pregnancy rates by cause of infertility, in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

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  Fig. 7 Pluralities among live births: in vitro fertilization and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.

Reference

1. ART committee, Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Current status of assisted reproductive technology in Korea, 2006. Korean J Obstet Gynecol. 2009; 52:1212–1238.

2. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Society for Reproductive Medicine, Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology. 2009 Assisted reproductive technology success rates: national summary and fertility clinic reports. Atlanta: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services;2011.

3. Ferraretti AP, Goossens V, de Mouzon J, Bhattacharya S, Castilla JA, Korsak V, et al. Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2008: results generated from European registers by ESHRE. Hum Reprod. 2012; 27:2571–2584.