Korean J Reprod Med.
2010 Mar;37(1):33-39.
Consideration on Birth Sex Ratio in Human IVF-ET Program in Korea
- Affiliations
-
- 1Department of Bio-Medical Laboratory Science, College of Health Sciences, Eulji University, Korea. junjh55@hanmail.net
- 2Life Science Institute, Eulji Hospital, Korea.
- 3Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Korea.
- 4Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Korea.
Abstract
OBJECTIVE
Birth sex ratio (BSR) with human IVF-ET program is an interesting subject of social and scientific issue but very little information is available in Korea. This study was performed to assess the BSR with IVF-ET and to suggest the effective factors on the BSR.
METHODS
The national data from 1991~2008 were obtained from governmental Statistics Korea and the delivery data of human IVF-ET program on 2007 and 2008 were provided from the Ministry for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs. The BSR were statistically analyzed according to methods of IVF and to transferred embryos from fresh or frozen-thawed cycles.
RESULTS
The BSRs of Korean populations were over 1.10 up to 2002, and then it declined and maintained to 1.06 as balance BSR on 2007 and 2008. In human IVF-ET program, the BSRs were 1.07 on 2007 and 1.06 on 2008, respectively. Conventional IVF on 2008 showed the highest BSR as 1.10, and ICSI the lowest on 2008 as 1.01. There was no significant difference of BSRs related to the methods of in vitro fertilization and the feature of transferred embryos.
CONCLUSION
The BSR of Korea showed 1.06~1.07 as normal and balanced state on 2007 and 2008 both general populations and human IVF-ET program. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to evaluate the BSR of human IVF-ET in Korea. There is a need to expand the further studies for national statistics and influencing factors on the BSR with IVF-ET.