Quarter of a million babies born in uk as a result of ivf

November 3, 2016

The 250,000th child born through IVF was delivered in February last year
In 1991, 6,146 women received IVF which resulted in 1,226 live births
By 2013 this increased to 52,288 women giving birth to 15,283 babies

Stephen Matthews For Mailonline

Published:
05:00 EDT, 3 November 2016

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Updated:
05:41 EDT, 3 November 2016

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A record quarter of a million babies have been born in the UK as a result of IVF, new figures show.

The milestone figure saw the 250,000th child delivered in February last year.

In the past 25 years the success rate for women undergoing cycles of the fertility treatment has nearly doubled, experts say.

It comes after the number of older mothers has been found to have soared in recent decades, as more women concentrate on their career and start families later.

The 250,000th child born through the form of fertility treatment was delivered in February last year, statistics show

In 1991, when the UK’s independent regulator for fertility treatment was established, 6,146 women received IVF which resulted in 1,226 live births.

By 2013 this figure had increased sharply to 52,288 women giving birth to 15,283 babies, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA).

The figures also revealed that substantially more women have fertility treatment in London than any other part of the UK.

While women from Northern Ireland were seeking IVF far less than other regions.

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But researchers say the figures are largely proportionate to the number of clinics in each area, with London being home to just under half.

The British Fertility Society (BFS) welcomed the milestone figure, saying it was ‘great news’ for patients and their families.

Professor Adam Balen, chairman of the BFS, said: ‘The BFS welcomes this news that the number of children born from IVF and other assisted reproductive treatments has now passed a quarter of a million.

In the past 25 years the success rate for women undergoing cycles of IVF treatment has nearly doubled, experts say

‘Over the years IVF success rates have improved and more people have access to treatment.

‘However, as a Society we are still extremely concerned about some CCGs limiting access to treatment and going against the current National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance on this.’

REGIONAL FIGURES FROM 2014 FOR IVF TREATMENT

Regional figures from around the UK show that during 2014 there were:

16,649 treatments in London.

5,948 treatments in the North West.

5,527 treatments in the South East.

3,777 treatments in Scotland.

3,328 treatments in the West Midlands.

3,187 treatments in the East of England.

2,972 treatments in the East Midlands.

2,917 treatments in Yorkshire and the Humber.

2,322 treatments in the South West.

1,793 treatments in the North East.

1,647 treatments in Wales.

1,498 treatments in Northern Ireland.

HFEA chairwoman Sally Cheshire said: ‘When the HFEA was set up in 1991 we could never have imagined that over 250,000 babies would be born just 25 years later through assisted reproduction.

‘These babies are among the five million that have been born worldwide and I am delighted that so many people have been able to have their much-longed-for family.

‘We will continue to work with all UK fertility clinics to ensure the best quality care is given to patients, so that even more families are created in the future.’

The world’s first test-tube baby was born at Oldham General Hospital in July 1978.

Louise Brown, 36, was delivered after her parents became the first people to successfully undergo IVF.

Her birth attracted controversy, with religious leaders expressing concern about the use of artificial intervention. But it also paved the way for millions of further IVF babies.

Previous research has found the proportion of women over 40 giving birth in England and Wales has trebled in the last 30 years, from 4.9 per 1,000 in 1984 to 14.7 per 1,000 in 2014.

The Office for National Statistics said last year this was because women are ‘increasingly delaying childbearing to later in life’.

Susan Seenan, chief executive of Fertility Network UK, said: ‘It is heart-warming and reassuring to hear during National Fertility Awareness Week that a quarter of a million IVF babies have now been born in the UK – in the nearly 40 years since the word’s first IVF baby was born in the UK.

‘However, it is important to remember that IVF cannot help everyone and much needs to be done to support those women and men who are unable to have a baby without medical help.’