According to a Federal Government report there are now more births via In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) treatment than ever before in Australia. There has been a 45% rise in the number of babies born through IVF and other treatments between 2004-08, according to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report released today. In 2008 there were 10,509 babies born through fertility treatments in Australia.
According to Monash IVF medical director Prof Gab Kovacs one of the major reasons for this boom is the acceptability of the treatment. “IVF has become very socially acceptable now. When we first started doing IVF 30 years ago people used to keep it a secret - they were embarrassed about it - but now it's a very routine treatment,” Prof Kovacs said. He added that many couples want their embryos to be screened for genetic diseases and thus choose IVF. On the other side the success rates of IVF have also improved which means more babies and treatments were being offered in more regional centres.
Melbourne IVF chairman Dr Lyndon Hale cited another reason for this trend. Dr. Hale said women were waiting longer to have children, and fertility declined with advancing maternal age. “It's all part of the mix. Society is changing, the average age of childbirth is getting higher,” Dr Hale explained. The average age of women having infertility treatments using their own eggs was 36 years in 2008, similar to the previous year, while the average age of women using donor eggs and embryos was 41.
Another reason for this increase could be the new laws allowing single women and same sex couples to have IVF babies. Before Medicare rebates were slashed in January, IVF treatments had also been more affordable and accessible.
Prof Michael Chapman, of the Fertility Society of Australia said that 3.3 per cent of Australians and 2% of New Zealanders were born through fertility treatments. The report also found that there is a decline in the number of multiple births, with a clear trend towards single babies being born through fertility treatments. According Dr. Chapman, “It is significant because multiple births can result in increased health risks to both mothers and babies.” In 2008, the multiple delivery rate for artificial reproductive techniques treatment cycles was 8.4 per cent, compared to 10 per cent in 2007 and 16.4 per cent in 2004. Associate Professor Elizabeth Sullivan of the Institute's National Perinatal Statistics Unit said the decrease in multiple birth deliveries happened while pregnancy rates remained stable. She said, “Of the treatment cycles in 2008, 23 per cent resulted in a pregnancy and 17 per cent led to the birth of at least one live-born baby…There were around 10,600 live deliveries and 11,500 live-born babies in that year.”
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