A groundbreaking international study has found that in vitro fertilization (IVF) has helped bring more than 13 million babies into the world since the birth of the first “test tube” baby in 1978.
Compiling health data from 101 nations, researchers estimate that up to 13 million children were born through assisted reproductive technology (ART) by 2018—with an additional 3 to 4 million more arriving from 2018 to 2023.
Today, an ART-conceived baby is born worldwide every 35 seconds, highlighting IVF’s massive global impact. Europe leads with up to 4.5 million IVF births, followed by Asia and North America.
While national ART registries exist in many countries, reporting gaps meant researchers estimated unreported figures by analyzing clinic availability and miscarriage rates.
IVF success and safety have improved dramatically. In the UK, the average pregnancy rate for frozen embryo transfers soared from 7% in the 1990s to 36% in 2021, and single embryo transfers now make up over 93% of IVF cycles, pushing multiple birth rates below 3%. Most IVF babies in Australia are now born from frozen embryos.
Researchers hope that continued advances will ensure safer, more accessible fertility care worldwide, making the dream of parenthood possible for more families.
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