Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 1999. Results generated from European registers by ESHRE.

European results of assisted reproductive techniques from treatments initiated during 1999, are presented in this third report. Data were collected mainly from pre-existing national registers. From 22 countries 538 clinics reported 258 460 cycles: IVF 125 370, ICSI 95 221, frozen embryo replacement (FER) 34 002 and oocyte donations (OD) 3867. In eight countries, where all clinics reported to the register, a total of 99 629 cycles was performed in a population of nearly 106 million, corresponding to 943 cycles per million inhabitants and 3.9 cycles per 1000 women aged 15-49 years. After IVF and ICSI the distribution of transfer of 1, 2, 3 and >or=4 or more embryos was 11.9, 39.2, 39.6 and 9.3% respectively. Huge differences existed between countries. For IVF the clinical pregnancy rate per aspiration and per transfer was 24.2 and 27.7% respectively. For ICSI the corresponding rates were 26.1 and 27.9%. These figures represent relative increases by 2.2 to 5.2% compared with 1998. The distribution of singleton, twin, triplet and quadruplet deliveries for IVF and ICSI combined was 73.7, 24.0, 2.2 and 0.1%. This gives a total multiple delivery rate of 26.3%. Triplet deliveries after IVF and ICSI ranged from 0.3-7.0% between countries. Compared with 1998, the number of reported cycles increased by 11% and the clinical pregnancy rate per transfer increased from 27.0 to 27.7% after IVF and from 26.8 to 27.9% after ICSI. Multiple deliveries after IVF and ICSI remained unchanged at 26.3% in 1999.