Multiple births conceived by assisted reproductive technology in Korea

Abstract

Purpose: The recent trends of multiple births (MBs) conceived by assisted reproductive technology (ART) in Korea were analyzed as well as the relationship with maternal age, especially advanced maternal age.

Methods: Data were obtained from the Korean Statistical Information Service and annual ART reports from the ART committee of the Korean Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

Results: MBs increased from the early 1990s; there was a 275% increase by 2008. The number of total live births was 448,153 and MBs accounted for 10,767; the MB rate was 24.0% in 2006. Among 2,326 deliveries conceived by ART, multiple deliveries accounted for 786 (33.8%). The total number of live births with ART was 3,125 and 1,585 (50.7%) of them were MBs. During 2006, 14.7% of the entire MBs in Korea were associated with ART. The proportion of women of advanced maternal age was much higher in the ART group than in the total live birth group.

Conclusion: MBs in women of advanced maternal age have been increasing in Korea with the use of ART. The results of this study showed that ART was a significant factor associated with the increase in MBs in Korea.

Keywords: Epidemiology; Multiple birth; Newborn; Pregnancy; Pregnancy outcome; Reproductive techniques; assisted/statistics.

Fig. 1

Comparison of maternal age with the total number of live births nationwide, multiple births nationwide, and ART in Korea during 2006. Comparison of the maternal age between a) the total live birth group nationwide, b) the multiple births group nationwide, and c) the ART group in Korea during 2006. The maternal age was between 30 and 34 years in 41.9% of women in group a), 48.6% of women in group b), and 45.2% of women in group c). The maternal age was between 35 and 39 years in 10.5% of women of group a), 14.6% of women of group b), and 31.4% of women of group c). The maternal age was over 40 years in 1.3%, 1.0%, and 12.1% of women of each group, respectively. The maternal age was very high in the ART group.

Fig. 2

Distribution of advanced maternal age with the total number of live births nationwide, multiple births nationwide, and ART in Korea during 2006. An age over 35 years was considered advanced maternal age; woman of advanced maternal age accounted for 11.8% of total live births nationwide, 15.6% of multiple births nationwide, and 43.5% of ART during 2006 in Korea. Therefore, the proportion of women with advanced maternal age was very high in the ART group.