In-vitro fertilisation (IVF) and related techniques delivered
2,715 babies (1.0% of all Australian births) conceived in 1994 and
born up to September 1995, according to a report released today by
the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, and the Fertility
Society of Australia.
The report, Assisted Conception, Australia and New Zealand,
1994 and 1995, presents data collected from 24 Australian and
five New Zealand IVF units by the Institute's National Perinatal
Statistics Unit. The data detail IVF and gamete intrafallopian
transfer (GIFT) treatments.
'More than 20,000 babies conceived by IVF and GIFT have been
born in Australia since 1980', said AIHW National Perinatal
Statistics Unit Director, Dr Paul Lancaster.
The use of microinsemination in treating infertility has
increased sharply in recent years. In 1995, 30% of all assisted
conception involved microinsemination by microinjection of sperm
into eggs, or the transfer of frozen/thawed embryos after
fertilisation by microinjection.
'Pregnancy rates and results for the main type of
microinsemination, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), were
similar to those for conventional IVF', said Dr Lancaster.
'Based on almost 800 pregnancies and more than 700 births after
microinsemination, pregnancy outcome is similar to that for other
IVF pregnancies.'
Other findings of the report include:
- Conventional IVF treatment (transfer of fresh embryos to the
uterus) pregnancy rates were 10.2 live births per 100 treatment
cycles in 1994 compared with 11.5 in 1995.
- After GIFT, pregnancy rates were 20.7 live births per 100
treatment cycles in 1994 compared with 20.6 in 1995.
- Embryo transfer cycles after embryo freezing accounted for a
greater proportion of all treatment cycles, increasing to 27.8% of
22,303 cycles in 1995.
- The use of GIFT decreased, with 13% fewer treatment cycles in
1994 than in 1993 and 22% fewer cycles in 1995 than in 1994.
- The incidence of IVF twins decreased slightly from 15.7% in
1993 to 15.1% in 1994.
- For GIFT, twins increased slightly from 21.7% in 1993 to 22.3%
in 1994, and triplets increased from 2.5% in 1993 to 3.9% in
1994.
21 March 1997
Further information: Dr Paul Lancaster, NPSU,
ph. 02 9351 4379.
For media copies of the report (84pp.): Chris
Finnegan, AIHW, ph. 02 6244 1032.
Availability: Check the AIHW Publications Catalogue
for details.