Assisted reproductive technology in Europe, 2002. Results generated from European registers by ESHRE

European results of assisted reproductive techniques (ART) from treatments initiated during 2002 are presented in this sixth report. Data was mainly collected from already existing national registers. From 25 countries, 631 clinics reported 324 238 treatment cycles with: IVF 122 634, ICSI 135 048, frozen embryo replacement (FER) 57 162, egg donation (ED) 7677, preimplantation genetic diagnosis/screening (PGD/PGS) 1563 and in vitro maturation (IVM) 154. Overall this represents a 12% increase since year 2001. For the second time, results on European data on intrauterine inseminations were reported from 17 countries. A total of 93 284 cycles [IUI-husband/partner (H), 78 505 and IUI-donor (D), 14 779] were included. In 13 countries where all clinics reported to the register, a total of 177 429 cycles were performed in a population of 193.7 million, corresponding to 916 cycles per million inhabitants. For IVF the clinical pregnancy rate per aspiration and per transfer was 26.0 and 29.5%, respectively. For ICSI the corresponding rates were 27.2 and 29.4%. These figures are marginally better than in 2001. After IUI-H the clinical pregnancy rate was 11.6% in women below 40 and 7.8% in women >= 40 years of age. After IVF and ICSI the distribution of transfer of 1, 2, 3 and 4 or more embryos was 13.7, 54.8, 26.9 and 4.7%, respectively. Compared with year 2001, less embryos were transferred, but huge differences existed between countries. The distribution of singleton, twin and triplet deliveries for IVF and ICSI combined was 75.5, 23.2 and 1.3%, respectively. This gives a total multiple delivery rate of 24.5%, compared with 25.5% in year 2001. The range of triplet deliveries after IVF and ICSI varied from 0.0 to 5.2% between countries. After IUI-H in women below 40 years of age, 10.2% were twin and 1.3% triplet gestations.