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ART Live Birth Rates – Media Releases

 

The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society has been releasing results on assisted reproduction live birth rates in Canada since 2001.

 
2016 Press Release - Results from the Canadian ART Register

PRESS RELEASE

Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ART) in Canada:
2015 Results from the Canadian ART Register (CARTR)
November 23, 2016

“Canadian fertility specialists continue to lower multiple pregnancy rates resulting from IVF, achieving the lowest rate since specialists starting tracking outcomes nationally. Multiple pregnancy rates dropped to 10.1% nationally compared to 29.4% a decade earlier. The Society attributes these gains to a concerted effort among specialists to promote elective single embryo transfer, and improvements in technology.”

Key Messages:

For more than a decade, IVF centres across Canada have been voluntarily reporting data on IVF outcomes. The national, self-funded Canadian Assisted Reproduction Technologies Registry (CARTR) has enabled continuous improvement in IVF outcomes across the country, and has specifically helped clinics reduce multiple pregnancies. This collaboration among IVF centres is unprecedented. In 2012, CARTR joined forces with BORN Ontario as a means to link IVF treatment data with birth outcomes for children born through ART. Ongoing monitoring of the health of children born as a result of assisted reproductive technologies is a top priority for the CFAS and its members.

Another aim of the CARTR-BORN database is to collect information on the cumulative success rate of a single IVF cycle. This is defined as the live birth rate after a fresh IVF cycle, including births from any associated frozen embryos from that cycle. This information will provide those contemplating IVF with a better understanding of their chances of delivering a child when undertaking a single egg retrieval procedure. The CFAS and BORN expect to be able to report on this important data in 2017.

In 2016, the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society launched a program aimed at standardizing the way IVF outcomes are reported and presented by Canadian clinics on their web sites. The program demonstrates a commitment by the Society and participating clinics to present clear and easily understood patient communication concerning pregnancy outcomes. Clinics that comply with the presentation format will receive ‘CFAS Compliant’ logo for use in association with their outcome data.

Trends in IVF Volumes

The number of treatment cycles has increased only marginally at a rate between 1.5% and 1.75% annually over the last three years with 27,775 treatment cycles reported in 2013, 28,166 cycles reported in 2014, and 28,657 cycles in 2015. These numbers encompass all treatments cycles including subsequent frozen embryo transfer (FET) cycles, donor egg cycles, and egg freezing cycles. When considering fresh IVF treatment cycles alone, IVF usage has remained very stable with 16,174 cycles reported in 2013, 16,490 cycles reported in 2014, and 16,229 cycles reported in 2015.

Utilization of IVF in Canada

According to a 2010 report, Canada has one of the lowest utilization rates of IVF among the G8 nations, ranking 7th only behind Russia. IVF utilization rates increased in Canada since 2010 due in large part to funding for IVF in Quebec. In 2015, utilization rates were estimated at 400 per million. However, with the withdrawal of IVF funding in Quebec in November 2015, the CFAS expects the usage of IVF to drop considerably even after factoring in a more modest funding program in Ontario.

Success Rates and IVF funding

Live birth rates for IVF when using a woman’s own eggs have remained relatively constant. A woman under 35 years of age can expect a 41% chance of delivering a child per embryo transfer. But, the chance of live birth drops as the woman ages. A woman’s likelihood of delivering a child through a single cycler of IVF drops drops to 34% between 35 and 37, 24 % between 38 and 40, 11% between 41 and 42, and 6% after 43 years of age. These numbers have remained relatively consistent year over year.

In 2009, IVF clinics and the CFAS set a goal to reduce the multiple pregnancy rate from IVF in Canada to 15% by 2015 and clinicians in Canada have been making a concerted effort toward that goal. The number of multiple pregnancies resulting from IVF has been dropping over the last decade. Between 2011 and 2014, 313 fewer multiple pregnancies resulted from IVF, a 23% drop, despite a 17% increase in the number of IVF cycles started in Canada over the same period. This represents significant improvements in the health and safety of both patients and children born of ART, not to mention savings to the healthcare system. The CFAS attributes the reduction in multiple pregnancies to a number of factors including: improvements in technology, and changing attitudes and education in support of single embryo transfers.

IVF funding in Quebec between 2010 and late 2015 coincide with the greatest decline in multiple pregnancies. IVF funding was contingent on maintaining a multiple pregnancy rate below 10%. As a result, the majority of cycles involved elective transfer of a single embryo (eSET), resulting in a significant reduction in the multiple pregnancy rate in Quebec. Meanwhile, in the reset of Canada, there was a voluntary movement toward the transfer of fewer embryos and a greater uptake of eSET, with both clinicians and patients recognizing that success after IVF is the birth of a healthy singleton. Furthermore, technological advances such as vitrification (quick freezing of embryos) and preimplantation genetic screening have allowed for the transfer of fewer embryos per attempt.

Nationally, the multiple pregnancy rate dropped to 10.1% in 2014 – the lowest it has ever been. Under the funding program in Quebec, rates dropped to 3.4% in the same year, while the rest of Canada (excluding Quebec) also reached its lowest point at 12.8%.

Although funding for IVF was withdrawn in Quebec in November 2015, the mandate to maintain the multiple pregnancy rate under 10% remains. Thus, the multiple pregnancy rate will remain stable in that province, but significantly fewer women and couples will take home a child due to the cost of treatment. In the rest of the country, the CFAS expects to see the continued use of eSET and a stabilization of the multiple pregnancy rate using IVF at around 12% – still below the number targeted by the CFAS in 2009.

The CFAS anxiously awaits the impact of IVF funding in Ontario. We expect a significant increase in IVF utilization and a drop in multiple pregnancies in funded IVF cycles due to the requirement for eSET in the majority of funded cycles.

Overall, the CFAS expects that the live birth rate per cycle of IVF will drop in Ontario due to an expected increase in the number of older patients (up to the age of 43 years) receiving IVF treatment under the funding program. Without funding, fewer women choose IVF in the older age categories due to the high cost of treatment and reduced pregnancy outcomes. With a limited amount of funding available in Ontario, the CFAS also expects the queuing of patients and how they are prioritized for treatment will become an important social and policy discussion.

Other Noteworthy Trends

Donor Cycles – While the absolute number of cycles in which a donated egg was used has increased from year to year (631 in 2013 vs 722 in 2014) the relative percentage of cycles in which an egg donor was used has remained constant. Currently, it is illegal in Canada to sell eggs and sperm.***** This legal framework, which has been in place since 2004 when the Assisted Human Reproduction Act came into force, has severely restricted options for patients needing an egg donor to conceive. On September 30th, 2016, the federal government issued a release announcing that it will develop regulations concerning the testing of donated gametes. It will also develop regulations concerning the reimbursement of women and men who choose to donate their eggs and sperm altruistically. It is too early yet to know whether regulations will restrict or augment the activity around egg donation in Canada and how the practice of using donors from outside of Canada will be impacted. The CFAS is eager to work with Health Canada to ensure regulations serve the best interests of patients, children born through ART, and society in general.

Gestational Surrogacy – The use of gestational carriers appears to be on the rise in Canada. Between 2014 and 2015, the number of gestational carrier cycles increased by 23% from 413 cycles to 533. Increases in use may reflect increasing acceptance by society, and certainly, the legal and counselling framework for gestational surrogacy is also gaining in sophistication in Canada. However, as reported in the media recently, Canada appears to be an attractive place for foreigners seeking gestational surrogacy. As more specific data about Canadian surrogacy is not tracked, we are unable to determine the contribution of foreign use to the increase in surrogacy cycles.

PGS and PGD – Perhaps the most notable trend in the data from one year to the next is the rapid growth in use of pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) and diagnosis (PGD) in Canada. Between 2014 and 2015, the use of PGS/PGD increased threefold from 762 cycles to 2,355 cycles. Although there are many potential benefits, the impact of this increased utilization has yet to be determined.

Oocyte banking for social reasons – Improvements in technology have made egg freezing a viable alternative for women needing to delay childbearing (eg: due to medical reasons such as cancer) or for social reasons (e.g. lack of a partner or a desire to delay childbearing). To this end, the CFAS has witnessed an increase in use of egg freezing for both reasons, although more dramatically where women are choosing to freeze for social reasons. Between 2014 and 2015, social egg freezing increased 67% from 159 cycles to 266 cycles. Like the growth in gestational surrogacy, the CFAS can only speculate that the practice has become more available to Canadians as more clinics implement vitrification technology, but we also suspect a growing acceptance of social egg freezing among women, made more popular by some companies such as Facebook and Google which chose to cover egg freezing as part of their standard benefits policies.

About the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) 

The CFAS is a multidisciplinary national non-profit Society that serves as the voice of reproductive specialists, scientists, and allied health professionals working in the field of Assisted Reproduction in Canada. Celebrating its 62nd year in existence, the mission of the CFAS is to responsibly advance reproductive science and medicine in Canada through leadership, research and guidance. Through its 700 multidisciplinary membership, the CFAS aims to promoting excellence in the field of Assisted Reproduction

Media Contact for the CFAS

Mark Evans
Executive Director, Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society
514 524-9009 (telephone) or 613-869-4396 (cell)

Media Contacts for CARTR

Dr Albert Yuzpe
Co-Chair of the CARTR Committee
Medical Director, Olive Fertilty, Vancouver

Dr Francois Bisonette
Co-Chair of the CARTR Committee
IVF Medical Director, Clinic OVO, Montreal

 
2015 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release

Media release
October 1, 2015

Canadian IVF Clinics achieve their objective of reducing
multiple pregnancy rate less than 15% even earlier than projected.

Halifax, NS – Canadian fertility clinics have decreased the number of multiple pregnancies arising from in vitro fertilization (IVF) from 32% in 2009 to 13.3% in 2014. These data, along with the birth outcomes, were presented in the Canadian Assisted Reproductive Technologies Registry (CARTR Plus) report at the 61st annual meeting of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) today in Halifax, NS.

“The goal set was to reduce the multiple pregnancy rate associated with IVF treatment in Canada to below 15% by 2015. We are proud of this achievement and meeting our goal one year in advance.” said Drs. Al Yuzpe and François Bissonnette, Co-Chairs, IVF Directors Group.

The data also revealed that clinical pregnancy and live birth rates are still being maintained. The complication rate remains low.

  • The multiple pregnancy rate per ongoing clinical pregnancy was 13.3% among all ART treatment cycles, a decrease of 1.9% from last year.
  • Birth outcomes were reported for a combined total of 14,861 fresh IVF treatment cycles including intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI] (5,106 in Quebec and 5,383 in Ontario) undertaken in 34 of 36 IVF centres in Canada in 2013.
  • The overall live birth rate was 23% per cycle started, 25% per egg retrieval procedure or thaw cycle, and 30% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • The live birth rates per embryo transfer cycle among fresh IVF treatment cycles using own oocytes, by age of the mother, were:
    • 41% for women under 35 years old
    • 30% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 14% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The live birth rates per embryo transfer cycle among FET treatment cycles using own oocytes, by age at the time of oocyte retrieval, were:
    • 31% for women under 35 years old
    • 24% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 15% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The overall miscarriage rate of 19% per ongoing clinical pregnancy.

Preliminary results were reported for a combined total of 14,946 fresh IVF treatment cycles (excluding cycles using donor eggs) undertaken in 34 of 36 IVF centres in Canada in 2014:

  • The clinical pregnancy rate among all age groups was 26% per cycle started, 28% per egg retrieval procedure, and 40% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 86% of ongoing clinical pregnancies were singletons, 14% were multiples.
  • A singleton pregnancy occurred following 21% of cycles started, 22% of cycles having egg retrieval, and 32% of cycles having embryo transfer.
  • The clinical pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age at the time of oocyte, were:
    • 33% for women under 35 years old
    • 28% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 13% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The singleton ongoing pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age at the time of oocyte retrieval, were:
    • 27% for women under 35 years old
    • 22% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 9% for women 40 years old and over.

***

Media Contact:


(514)524-9009

 
2014 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release

Media Release
September 12, 2014

Fertility Society lauds clinics for dramatic
reduction in multiple pregnancies in 2013

Quebec City, QC – Canadian fertility clinics have decreased the number of multiple pregnancies arising from in vitro fertilization (IVF) from 32% in 2009 to 17.2% in 2013. These data, along with the birth outcomes, were presented in the Canadian Assisted Reproductive Technologies Registry (CARTR) Plus report at the 60th annual meeting of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) today.

“Our goal was to reduce the multiple pregnancy rate associated with IVF treatment in Canada to below 15% by 2015” says Dr. Albert Yuzpe, co-chair of the IVF Medical Directors of Canada. “Based on these results, we are well on our way”. Under the leadership of the IVF Medical Directors of Canada, all IVF clinics in the country voluntarily submit their IVF outcome data to CARTR Plus, part of the BORN (Better Outcomes Registry & Network) Ontario maternal-child registry. This CARTR Plus database, new in 2013, will provide more comprehensive data on fertility outcomes and the potential for long-term follow-up of the children born following in vitro fertilization.

“We are enormously proud of this significant drop in the number of multiples,” said Dr. François Bissonnette, Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group.

“The parallel piece of good news from this report is that we saw four times as many elective single embryo transfers compared to three years ago,” he said.

The data also revealed that clinical pregnancy and live birth rates are still being maintained. The
complication rate remains low.

Figures:

  • Live birth rates were reported for a combined total of 16,062 IVF treatment cycles
    (including intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) undertaken in 32 of 33 IVF centres in
    Canada in 2012.
  • There were 3615 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles performed in 8 centres in Western Canada,
    5336 cycles in 15 centres in Ontario, 6761 cycles in 7 centres in Quebec, and 350 cycles in
    2 centres in Atlantic Canada.
  • The overall live birth rate was 23% per cycle started, 25% per egg retrieval procedure, and
    29% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 84% of births were singletons, 16% were twins, and 0.5% were triplets. This represents a
    decrease in multiple birth rate of 4 percentage points, compared with 2011, when 80% of
    births were singletons, 20% were twins, and 0.5% were triplets or more. Not all multiple
    pregnancies result in a multiple birth: in 2012, at about 6 weeks’ gestation, 17% of viable
    pregnancies were twins and 1.2% were triplets or more, compared with 16% twins and
    0.5% triplets at birth.
  • The live birth rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 31% for women under 35 years old
    • 23% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 10% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The proportion of babies with congenital anomalies was not different from that in the
    population of women conceiving naturally.
  • The miscarriage rate of 18% per clinical intrauterine pregnancy is in keeping with that for
    natural conceptions.

Preliminary results were reported for a combined total of 14,928 fresh IVF treatment cycles
(excluding cycles using donor eggs) undertaken in 33 of 35 IVF centres in Canada in 2013:

  • The clinical pregnancy rate among all age groups was 28% per cycle started, 30% per egg
    retrieval procedure, and 38% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 83% of viable pregnancies were singletons, 17% were twins, and less than 1% were
    triplets. This represents a decrease in the multiple pregnancy rate of 1 percentage point
    compared with 2012.
  • A singleton pregnancy occurred following 21% of cycles started, 23% of cycles having egg
    retrieval, and 29% of cycles having embryo transfer.
  • The clinical pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 34% for women under 35 years old
    • 28% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 15% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The singleton pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 27% for women under 35 years old
    • 20% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 11% for women 40 years old and over.

The drive to reduce the number of multiple births through single embryo transfer began under Assisted Human Reproduction Canada (AHRC), the federal agency, closed in March 2013, which was set up to oversee assisted reproduction and fertility treatments in Canada.

“Accolades to AHRC for setting this process in motion,” said Dr. Yuzpe.

The IVF Medical Directors of Canada make these data available for reference and education and recommend they be reviewed together with an appropriate healthcare professional. Results vary by centre and specific information can be obtained from each centre. A list of the participating centres is available through CFAS.

***

Media Contact:
Anita Webster
Media Relations, CFAS
604-313-6568

 
2013 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release

Media Release
September 26, 2013

Fertility Society lauds clinics for dramatic
reduction in multiple pregnancies in 2012

Victoria, B.C. – Canadian fertility clinics have decreased the number of multiple pregnancies arising from in vitro fertilization (IVF) from 32% in 2009 to 18.4% in 2012. These data, along with the treatment outcomes, were presented in the Canadian Assisted Reproductive Technologies Register (CARTR) report at the 59th annual meeting of the Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) today.

Under the leadership of the IVF Medical Directors of Canada all IVF clinics in Canada voluntarily submit their IVF outcome data to CARTR.

“We are enormously proud of this significant drop in the number of multiples,” said Dr. François Bissonnette, Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group.

“The parallel piece of good news from this report is that we saw four times as many single embryo transfers over three years ago,” he said.

The data also revealed that clinical pregnancy and live birth rates are still being maintained. The complication rate remains low.

Figures:

  • Live birth rates were reported for a combined total of 14,866 IVF treatment cycles (including intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) undertaken in 31 of 32 IVF centres in Canada in 2011.
  • There were 3533 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles performed in 8 centres in Western Canada, 5306 cycles in 15 centres in Ontario, 5657 cycles in 6 centres in Quebec, and 370 cycles in 2 centres in Atlantic Canada.
  • The overall live birth rate was 24% per cycle started, 26% per egg retrieval procedure, and 29% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 80% of births were singletons, 20% were twins, and 0.5% were triplets or more. This represents a decrease in multiple birth rate of 3 percentage points, compared with 2010, when 76% of births were singletons, 23% were twins, and 0.8% were triplets or more. Not all multiple pregnancies result in a multiple birth: in 2011, at about 6 weeks’ gestation, 21% of viable pregnancies were twins and 1.3% were triplets or more, compared with 20% twins and 0.5% triplets or more at birth.
  • The live birth rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 33% for women under 35 years old
    • 24% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 10% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The proportion of babies with congenital anomalies was not different from that in the population of women conceiving naturally.
  • The miscarriage rate of 17% per clinical intrauterine pregnancy is in keeping with that for natural conceptions.

Preliminary results were reported for a combined total of 14,953 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles undertaken in 30 of 33 IVF centres in Canada in 2012:

  • The overall clinical pregnancy rate was 32% per cycle started, 34% per egg retrieval procedure, and 39% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 82% of viable pregnancies were singletons, 17% were twins, and 1.1% were triplets or more. This represents a decrease in multiple pregnancy rate of 4 percentage points compared with 2011 (when 78% of viable pregnancies were singletons, 21% were twins, and 1.3% were triplets or more), and 14 percentage points compared with 2009.
  • A singleton pregnancy occurred following 24% of cycles started, 25% of cycles having egg retrieval, and 29% of cycles having embryo transfer.
  • The clinical pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 39% for women under 35 years old
    • 32% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 18% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The singleton pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 30% for women under 35 years old
    • 23% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 13% for women 40 years old and over.
  • Complications occurred in only 1% of treatment cycles.

The drive to reduce the number of multiple births through single embryo transfer began under Assisted Human Reproduction Canada (AHRC), the federal agency, closed in March 2013, which was set up to oversee assisted reproduction and fertility treatments in Canada.

“Accolades to AHRC for setting this process in motion,” said Dr. Al Yuzpe, Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group.

The IVF Medical Directors of Canada make these data available for reference and education and recommend they be reviewed together with an appropriate healthcare professional. Results vary by centre and specific information can be obtained from each centre. A list of the participating centres is available through CFAS.

***

Media Contacts:

Dr. Roger Pierson
Chair, Communications Committee, CFAS
University of Saskatoon
Saskatoon, SK
306-966-4458

Dr. Al Yuzpe
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
Olive Fertility Centre
Vancouver, BC
604-559-9950

Dr. François Bissonnette
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
La Clinique de Fertilité OVO
Montréal, QC
514-798-2000

 
Human Assisted Reproduction 2012 Live Birth Rates for Canada

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
10 September 2012

ASSISTED HUMAN REPRODUCTION LIVE BIRTH RATES FOR CANADA

The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) today released the twelfth annual nation-wide results on assisted human reproduction success rates in Canada. The rates of pregnancy and live birth in the country’s fertility clinics are on par with other national registries, including the United States. The complication rate remains low.

Under the leadership of the CFAS and the IVF Medical Directors of Canada, all in vitro fertilization (IVF) centres in Canada voluntarily participated in the collection of nationwide data on the results of assisted reproduction. The data were presented at the 15th annual meeting of the Directors of Canadian IVF Centres, held in Ottawa, ON, under the auspices of the CFAS.

Live birth rates were reported for a combined total of 11,806 IVF treatment cycles including intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) undertaken in all 28 IVF centres in Canada in 2010. There were 3254 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles performed in 8 centres in Western Canada, 5275 cycles in 14 centres in Ontario, 2969 cycles in 5 centres in Quebec, and 308 cycles in 2 centres in Atlantic Canada.

  • The overall live birth rate was 27% per cycle started, 29% per egg retrieval procedure, and 31% per embryo transfer
    procedure.
  • 76% of births were singletons, 23% were twins, and 0.8% were triplets or more. This represents a decrease in
    multiple birth rate of 5 percentage points, compared with 2009.
  • The live birth rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 38% for women under 35 years old
    • 26% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 11% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The proportion of babies with congenital anomalies was not different from that in the population of women conceiving
    naturally.
  • The miscarriage rate of 18% per clinical intrauterine pregnancy is in keeping with that for natural conceptions.

Preliminary results were reported for a combined total of 14,677 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles undertaken in 29 of 30 IVF centres in Canada in 2011:

  • The overall clinical pregnancy rate was 31% per cycle started, 33% per egg retrieval procedure, and 37% per embryo
    transfer procedure.
  • 78% of viable pregnancies were singletons, 21% were twins, and 1.3% were triplets or more. This represents a
    decrease in multiple pregnancy rate of 4 percentage points, compared with 2010.
  • The clinical pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 39% for women under 35 years old
    • 31% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 16% for women 40 years old and over.
  • Complications occurred in fewer than 2% of treatment cycles.

Live birth rates for assisted human reproduction cycles started in 2011 will be released when they become available.

The CFAS makes these data available for reference and education. The information should be reviewed together with an appropriate healthcare professional. Results vary by centre and specific information can be obtained from each centre. A list of the participating IVF centres is available on request through the CFAS.

Starting in January 2013, CARTR will be merging with Better Outcomes Registry & Network (BORN) Ontario, the Ontario perinatal registry. This collaboration will enable improvements in CARTR data collection, analysis, and reporting. And, for infants born in Ontario, it will allow more detailed and extended follow-up of the health of mothers and infants both before and after birth.

Contacts:

Dr. Roger Pierson
Chair, Communications Committee, CFAS
University of Saskatoon
Saskatoon, SK
306-966-4458

Dr. Al Yuzpe
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
Genesis Fertility Centre
Vancouver, BC
604-879-3032

Dr. François Bissonnette
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
La Clinique de Fertilité OVO
Montréal, QC
514-798-2000

 
Human Assisted Reproduction 2011 Live Birth Rates for Canada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
25 September 2011

ASSISTED HUMAN REPRODUCTION LIVE BIRTH RATES FOR CANADA

The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) today released the eleventh annual nation-wide results on assisted human reproduction success rates in Canada. The rates of pregnancy and live birth in the country’s fertility clinics are on par with other national registries, including the United States. The complication rate remains low.

Under the leadership of the CFAS and the IVF Medical Directors of Canada, all in vitro fertilization (IVF) centres in Canada voluntarily participated in the collection of nationwide data on the results of assisted reproduction. The data were presented at the 14th annual meeting of the Directors of Canadian IVF Centres, held in Toronto, ON, under the auspices of the CFAS.

Live birth rates were reported for a combined total of 10,532 IVF treatment cycles including intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) undertaken in all 28 IVF centres in Canada in 2009. There were 3332 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles performed in 8 centres in Western Canada, 5015 cycles in 14 centres in Ontario, 1875 cycles in 5 centres in Quebec, and 310 cycles in 2 centres in Atlantic Canada.

  • The overall live birth rate was 30% per cycle started, 33% per egg retrieval procedure, and 35% per embryo transfer
    procedure.
  • 71% of births were singletons, 28% were twins, and 1% were triplets or more.
  • A healthy term singleton birth occurred following 16% of cycles started, 18% of cycles having egg retrieval, and 19% of cycles having embryo transfer.
  • The live birth rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 40% for women under 35 years old
    • 29% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 12% for women 40 years old and over.
  •  The chances of a healthy term singleton baby per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 21% for women under 35 years old
    • 16% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 7% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The proportion of babies with congenital anomalies was not different from that in the population of women conceiving naturally.
  • The miscarriage rate of 17% per clinical intrauterine pregnancy is in keeping with that for natural conceptions.

Preliminary results were reported for a combined total of 11,718 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles undertaken in all 28 IVF centres in Canada in 2010:

  • The overall clinical pregnancy rate was 34% per cycle started, 37% per egg retrieval procedure, and 39% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 75% of pregnancies were singletons, 23% were twins, and 2% were triplets or more.
  • A singleton pregnancy occurred following 23% of cycles started, 25% of cycles having egg retrieval, and 27% of cycles having embryo transfer.
  • The clinical pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 43% for women under 35 years old
    • 34% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 18% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The singleton pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 30% for women under 35 years old
    • 23% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 12% for women 40 years old and over.
  • Complications occurred in fewer than 2% of treatment cycles.

Live birth rates for assisted human reproduction cycles started in 2010 will be released when they become available.

The CFAS makes these data available for reference and education. The information should be reviewed together with an appropriate healthcare professional. Results vary by centre and specific information can be obtained from each centre. A list of the participating IVF centres is available on request through the CFAS.

Contacts:

Dr. Roger Pierson
Chair, Communications Committee, CFAS
University of Saskatoon
Saskatoon, SK
306-966-4458

Dr. Al Yuzpe
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
Genesis Fertility Centre
Vancouver, BC
604-879-3032

Dr. François Bissonnette
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
La Clinique de Fertilité OVO
Montréal, QC
514-798-2000

 
Human Assisted Reproduction 2010 Live Birth Rates for Canada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
29 September 2010

ASSISTED HUMAN REPRODUCTION LIVE BIRTH RATES FOR CANADA

The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) today released the tenth annual nation-wide results on assisted human reproduction success rates in Canada. The rates of pregnancy and live birth in the country’s fertility clinics are on par with other national registries, including the United States. The complication rate remains low.

Under the leadership of the CFAS and the IVF Medical Directors of Canada, all in vitro fertilization (IVF) centres in Canada voluntarily participated in the collection of nationwide data on the results of assisted reproduction. The data were presented at the 13th annual meeting of the Directors of Canadian IVF Centres, held in Vancouver, BC, under the auspices of the CFAS.

Live birth rates were reported for a combined total of 9904 IVF treatment cycles (including intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) undertaken in all 28 IVF centres in Canada in 2008. There were 2895 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles performed in 8 centres in Western Canada, 5072 cycles in 14 centres in Ontario, 1655 cycles in 5 centres in Quebec, and 282 cycles in 2 centres in Atlantic Canada.

  • The overall live birth rate was 29% per cycle started, 31% per egg retrieval procedure, and 34% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 71% of births were singletons, 28% were twins, and 1% were triplets or more.
  • A healthy term singleton birth occurred following 16% of cycles started, 17% of cycles having egg retrieval, and 18% of cycles having embryo transfer.
  • The live birth rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 38% for women under 35 years old
    • 28% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 11% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The chances of a healthy term singleton baby per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 20% for women under 35 years old
    • 16% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 7% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The proportion of babies with congenital anomalies was not different from that in the population of women conceiving naturally.
  • The miscarriage rate of 17% per clinical intrauterine pregnancy is in keeping with that for natural conceptions.

Preliminary results were reported for a combined total of 10390 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles undertaken in all 28 IVF centres in Canada in 2009:

  • The overall pregnancy rate was 37% per cycle started, 40% per egg retrieval procedure, and 43% per embryo transfer procedure.
  • 69% of pregnancies were singletons, 29% were twins, and 2% were triplets or more.
  • A singleton pregnancy occurred following 24% of cycles started, 26% of cycles having egg retrieval, and 27% of cycles having embryo transfer.
  • The pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 46% for women under 35 years old
    • 37% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 20% for women 40 years old and over.
  • The singleton pregnancy rates per cycle started, by age of the mother, were:
    • 29% for women under 35 years old
    • 24% for women aged 35-39 years
    • 14% for women 40 years old and over.
  • Complications occurred in fewer than 2% of treatment cycles.

Live birth rates for assisted human reproduction cycles started in 2009 will be released when they become available.

The CFAS makes these data available for reference and education. The information should be reviewed together with an appropriate healthcare professional. Results vary by centre and specific information can be obtained from each centre. A list of the participating IVF centres is available on request through the CFAS.

Contacts:
Dr. Roger Pierson
Chair, Communications Committee, CFAS
University of Saskatoon
Saskatoon, SK
306-966-4458

Dr. Al Yuzpe
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
Genesis Fertility Centre
Vancouver, BC
604-879-3032

Dr. François Bissonnette
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
La Clinique de Fertilité OVO
Montréal, QC
514-798-2000

 
Human Assisted Reproduction 2009 Live Birth Rates for Canada
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
3 December 2009

The Canadian Fertility and Andrology Society (CFAS) today released the ninth annual nation-wide results on assisted human reproduction success rates in Canada. The CFAS reports that the data are very reassuring for Canadians. The rates of pregnancy and live birth in the country’s fertility clinics are on par with other national registries, including
the United States. The complication rate remains low.

Under the leadership of the CFAS and the IVF Medical Directors of Canada, all in vitro fertilization (IVF) centres in Canada voluntarily participated in the collection of nationwide data on the results of assisted reproduction. The data were presented at the 12th annual meeting of the Directors of Canadian IVF Centres, held in Montreal, QC, under the auspices of the CFAS.

Live birth rates were reported for a combined total of 8972 IVF treatment cycles (including intracytoplasmic sperm injection [ICSI]) undertaken in all 26 IVF centres in Canada in 2007. There were 2682 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles performed in Western Canada, 4643 cycles in Ontario, 1408 cycles in Quebec, and 239 cycles in Atlantic Canada.

  • The overall live birth rate was 28% per cycle started.
  • 70% of births were singletons.
  • 97% of the multiple births were twins.
  • The live birth rates by age of the mother were:
    • for women under 35 years old, the live birth rate was 37%
    • for women aged 35-39 years, the live birth rate was 26%
    • for women 40 years old and over, the live birth rate was 11%
  • The proportion of babies with congenital anomalies was not different from that in the population of women conceiving naturally.
  • The miscarriage rate was 15% per clinical intrauterine pregnancy, which is also in keeping with the overall miscarriage rate for natural conceptions.

Preliminary results were reported for a combined total of 9868 IVF/ICSI treatment cycles undertaken in all 28 IVF centres in Canada in 2008:

  • The overall pregnancy rate was 36% per cycle started, an increase of 10 percentage points since 1999 when data collection was first performed.
  • Complications occurred in fewer than 2% of treatment cycles.
  • 69% of pregnancies were singletons.
  • 93% of multiple pregnancies were twins.
  • As expected, the woman’s age had a strong influence on pregnancy rate:
    • for women under 35 years old, the pregnancy rate was 45%
    • for women aged 35-39 years, the pregnancy rate was 35%
    • for women 40 years old and over, the pregnancy rate was 20%.

Live birth rates for assisted human reproduction cycles started in 2008 will be released
when they become available.

The CFAS makes these data available for reference and education. The information should be reviewed together with an appropriate healthcare professional. Results vary by centre and specific information can be obtained from each centre. A list of the participating IVF centres is available on request through the CFAS.

Contact:

Dr. Roger Pierson
Chair, Communications Committee, CFAS
University of Saskatoon
Saskatoon, SK
306-966-4458

Dr. Al Yuzpe
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
Genesis Fertility Centre
Vancouver, BC
604-879-3032

Dr. François Bissonnette
Past President, CFAS
Co-Chair, IVF Directors Group
La Clinique de fertilité OVO
Montréal, QC
514-798-2000

Click here to download the 2008 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release
Click here to download the 2007 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release
Click here to download the 2006 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release
Click here to download the 2005 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release
Click here to download the 2004 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release
Click here to download the 2003 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release
Click here to download the 2002 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release
Click here to download the 2001 AHR Live Birth Rates for Canada News Release