Are French results in Assisted Reproductive Techniques so bad?

Objective. - Comparative analysis of French results in Assisted Reproductive Techniques (ART) versus those from other European countries and the United-States. Population and methods. - The study was achieved by using the officially available data. The analysis was faced with a lot of difficulties in relation with the various methods of collecting data in the different countries. Results. - Nevertheless, it appears clearly that French results are among the lowest in Europe with a 22% rate for pregnancy per ovum pick-up with IVF and 23.4% with ICSI, when most of the other countries report rates that are close to or over 30%. Neither the patients' pick-up recruitment nor specific practices of ART can explain this difference that certainly comes from a deficient quality of the French IVF centres. Discussion and conclusion. - We think that four main end-points can explain this situation: the lack of financial support, the lack of human force, the lack of transparency and finally the opposition between clinician and biologist that has blocked the set-up of integrated ART centres, and probably a poor quality culture. (C) 2007 Elsevier Masson SAS. Tous droits reserves.