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. 2025 Jul;124(1):40-50.
doi: 10.1016/j.fertnstert.2025.02.009. Epub 2025 Feb 11.

How many infants have been born with the help of assisted reproductive technology?

G David Adamson  1 , Prudence Creighton  2 , Jacques de Mouzon  3 , Fernando Zegers-Hochschild  4 , Silke Dyer  5 , Georgina M Chambers  2
Affiliations

How many infants have been born with the help of assisted reproductive technology?

G David Adamson et al. Fertil Steril. 2025 Jul.

Abstract

Objective: To estimate the total number of infants born globally between 1978 and 2018 after assisted reproductive technology (ART). Estimates are based on epidemiological data systematically and uniquely collected by the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies over 40 years.

Design: The International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies has been reporting global results from country and regional registries since 1991. These observational cohort reports were collated and analyzed to obtain the number of infants born. Because reporting of outcomes is inconsistent, and clinics, countries, and regions report incompletely, sporadically, or not at all, statistical estimates were used to estimate the additional number of infants born from nonreporting clinics, countries, and regions. Upper and lower estimates were based on assumptions about the number of births from nonreporting clinics.

Subjects: Patients starting an ART cycle between 1978 and 2018. All clinics reporting their outcomes to national and regional registries, or directly to the International Committee for Monitoring Assisted Reproductive Technologies.

Exposure: Assisted reproductive technologies.

Main outcome measures: The total number of infants born from ART annually from 1978 through 2018, including the estimated number from nonreporting clinics, countries, and regions.

Results: The global lower and upper estimates of infants born from ART from 1978 through 2018 are 9,829,668 and 13,019,331.

Conclusion: Ten million and up to 13 million or more infants have been born from ART in the 40 years since the first ART-conceived infant was born in 1978. This large number of infants born from both conventional and innovative applications of ART confirms that ART has helped millions of people realize parenthood, is now mainstream medicine, has had a significant societal impact, including novel family formation, and highlighted inequities regarding reproductive rights and access to care.

Keywords: Assisted reproductive technology; epidemiology; global; infants; infertility.

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Conflict of interest statement

Declaration of Interests G.D.A. has received travel support from the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology, consulting fee from Organon, unpaid positions as Chair of ICMART, President of the World Endometriosis Research Foundation, ICMART NGO Liaison Observer on the Board of the International Federation of Fertility Societies and Member of the Global Health Committee of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, and founder and CEO of Advanced Reproductive Care, Inc. P.C. has received a personal grant from G.D.A. for statistical analysis in support of this manuscript. J.d.M. has received an unpaid position as a Board Member of ICMART. F.Z.-H. has received travel support from Ferring Pharmaceutical to a symposium, unpaid position as Chair of Latin American Registry of Assisted Reproduction, Vice Chair of ICMART, Director of the Chilean Institute for Reproductive Medicine, and Director of the Committee of Bioethics and Public Policies, Chilean Society of Obstetrics & Gynecology. S.D. has received research donation from Ferring Pharmaceutical to the University of Cape Town for the African Network and Registry for Assisted Reproductive Technology; travel support from the European Society for Human Reproduction and Embryology, the Egyptian Foundation of Reproductive Medicine, and the Association for Fertility and Reproductive Health; unpaid roles as Director of African Network and Registry for Assisted Reproductive Technology and Board Member of ICMART. G.M.C. has received an unpaid position as a Board Member of ICMART.

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