Information: Assisted Reproductive Technology

Infertility is often defined as not being able to get pregnant after trying for one year. Of the approximately 62 million women of reproductive age in 2002, about 1.2 million, or 2%, had an infertility-related medical appointment within the previous year, and 8% had an infertility-related medical visit at some point in the past. (Infertility services include medical tests to diagnose infertility, medical advice and treatments to help a woman become pregnant, and services other than routine prenatal care to prevent miscarriage.) Additionally, 7% of married couples in which the woman was of reproductive age (2.1 million couples) reported that they had not used contraception for 12 months and the woman had not become pregnant (2002 National Survey of Family Growth).

Thus, for many people who want to start a family, the dream of having a child is not easily realized. Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) has been used in the United States since 1981 to help women become pregnant, most commonly through the transfer of fertilized human eggs into a woman’s uterus (in vitro fertilization). However, deciding whether to undergo this expensive and time-consuming treatment can be difficult.

What is Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART)?
Although various definitions have been used for ART, the definition used by CDC is based on the 1992 Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act that requires CDC to publish the annual ART success rates report. According to this definition, ART includes all fertility treatments in which both eggs and sperm are handled. In general, ART procedures involve surgically removing eggs from a woman’s ovaries, combining them with sperm in the laboratory, and returning them to the woman’s body or donating them to another woman. They do NOT include treatments in which only sperm are handled (i.e., intrauterine—or artificial—insemination) or procedures in which a woman takes medicine only to stimulate egg production without the intention of having eggs retrieved.
The goal of this report is to help potential ART users make informed decisions about ART by providing some of the information needed to answer the following questions:

What are my chances of having a child by using ART?
Where can I go to get this treatment?

Selected Resources
2005 Assisted Reproductive Technology Success RatesNational Summary and Fertility Clinic ReportsThe data for this national report comes from the 422 fertility clinics in operation in 2005 that provided and verified data on the outcomes of all ART cycles started at their clinics. The 134,260 ART cycles performed at these reporting clinics in 2005 resulted in 38,910 live births (deliveries of one or more living infants) and 52,041 infants. Data provided by U.S. fertility clinics that use ART to treat infertility is a rich source of information about the factors that contribute to a successful ART treatment—the delivery of a live-born infant.

Previous ART Reports
2004 2003 2002 2001 2000–1995 (PDF format only)
Excel Spreadsheets of the ART clinic data
2004 2003 2002 2001 2000 1999 1998 1997 1996 1995
Assisted Reproductive Technology Surveillance—United States, 2005
These surveillance summaries include detailed statistics from the Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) Surveillance System by state/territory of residence. The report expands information on geography and determinants of ART success and the risks associated with ART procedures (e.g., multiple births, low birthweight, and preterm delivery) beyond what appears in the 2005 Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates: National Summary and Fertility Clinic Report. Source: MMWR 2008;57 (No. SS-5) 1–23.

Errata: Vol. 57, No. SS-5 Source: MMWR 2008 / 57(40);1105.
Previous ART Surveillance Summary2004 2003 2002 2001 2000
Increasing infant mortality among very low birthweight infants — Delaware, 1994–2000,Source: MMWR 2003;52:862–866.
Use of Assisted Reproductive Technology—United States, 1996 and 1998Since 1983, when the first infant was conceived from in vitro fertilization (IVF) in the United States, the use of IVF and related procedures (assisted reproductive technology) has increased substantially. Source: MMWR 2002;51(05):97–101.
Contribution of Assisted Reproductive Technology and Ovulation-Inducing Drugs to Triplet and Higher-Order Multiple Births— United States, 1980–1997 Pregnancies associated with assisted reproductive technology (ART) and drugs that induce ovulation are more likely to result in multiple births than spontaneously conceived pregnancies in the United States. Source: MMWR 2000;49(24):535–538.
Impact of Multiple Births on Low Birthweight - Massachusetts, 1989-1996. Source: MMWR 1999;48(14):289–292.
Reporting of Pregnancy Success Rates from Assisted Reproductive Technology Programs* ( PDF 540KB) This notice was published in the Federal Register, Tuesday, February 1, 2005. It provides information for clinics that report data for publication in Assisted Reproductive Technology Success Rates: National Summary and Fertility Clinic Reports.
Related Resources
Division of Reproductive Health's ART Surveillance SystemIn the U.S. and worldwide, assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs) are increasingly used to overcome all types of infertility disorders. More than 49,000 infants were born from ART treatments in 2004, representing more than 1% of the U.S ...more
Infertility FAQ's (National Women's Health Information Center)
How Do I Know If I Have an Infertility Problem?* (Resolve: The National Infertility Association)
Infertility (March of Dimes)*
American Fertility Association* The American Fertility Association (AFA) is a national consumer organization that offers support for men and women dealing with infertility. Their purpose is to educate the public about reproductive disease, and support families during struggles with infertility and adoption.
Fertile Hope*Fertile Hope is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing reproductive information, support and hope to cancer patients whose medical treatments present the risk of infertility.
American Society for Reproductive Medicine* The American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) is a multidisciplinary organization for the advancement of information, education, advocacy and standards in the field of reproductive medicine.
RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association* RESOLVE is a national consumer organization that offers support for men and women dealing with infertility. Their purpose is to provide timely, compassionate support and information to people who are experiencing infertility and to increase awareness of infertility issues through public education and advocacy.
Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology*The Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology (SART) promotes and advances the standards for the practice of assisted reproductive technology to the benefit of patients, members and society at large.
Tissue Action Plan (FDA)The purpose of the Tissue Action Plan is to develop the policies, regulations and guidance documents for regulation of cellular and tissue-based products ...more
Human Cell, Tissues and Cellular and Tissue-Based Products (FDA) Listing of ART clinics registered with FDA.
Implementation of the Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act of 1992: A Model Program for the Certification of Embryo Laboratories This notice sets forth the model certification program requirements, including definitions, administrative requirements, and embryo laboratory standards. The model program incorporates comments received by CDC on the proposed model certification program that was published in the Federal
Assisted Reproductive Technology: Embryo Laboratory PDF 435KB This site links to the (1) January 1999 report entitled Survey of Assisted Reproductive Technology: Embryo Laboratory Procedures and Practices (119 pages); and (2) Proposed Model Certification Program for Embryo Laboratories as required by the Fertility Clinic Success Rate and Certification Act of 1992.
Search PubMed for articles on Assisted Reproductive Technology
This search is being conducted on PubMed an NLM/NIH service.
Page last reviewed: 10/10/08Page last modified: 10/10/08Content source: Division of Reproductive Health, National Center for Chronic Disease Prevention and Health Promotion