Assisted Reproductive Technologies in Kazakhstan (National Registry Data, 2021)

Abstract

Relevance: The article presents comprehensive data on assisted reproductive technology (ART) programs implemented in 2021 in infertility treatment clinics in Kazakhstan specializing in ART.
The study aimed to analyze the structure and outcomes of ART cycles conducted and registered in the Republic of Kazakhstan from January 1 to December 31, 2021.
Materials and Methods: This retrospective study analyzed the data from reports submitted by 21 ART clinics in Kazakhstan. These reports were voluntarily provided to the Kazakhstan Association of Reproductive Medicine (KARM). The reports included information on in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycles, intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), frozen embryo transfers (FET), oocyte donation (OD), surrogacy, and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT).
Results: The total number of ART cycles available for analysis in 2021 was 27,012, resulting in 6,611 newborns. The accessibility of ART treatment was 1,407 cycles per 1 million population.

The analysis of ART structure revealed that 25.3% of all cycles in Kazakhstan’s clinics were IVF, while 74.7% were ICSI. A combined IVF/ICSI fertilization method was used in 27.6% of cycles. FET was performed in 50.8% of cases, OD accounted for 10.6%, and PGT was conducted in 3.8% of cycles.
The pregnancy rate per oocyte in 2021 was 19.3% after IVF and 17.8% after ICSI, with implantation rates per embryo transfer of 43.3% and 41.1%, respectively. Pregnancy rates were 50.8% after FET and 51.5% after OD. The live birth rate was 32.8% after fresh IVF, 32.4% after ICSI, 37.0% after FET, and 39.3% after OD. The 1,031 PGT programs resulted in a pregnancy rate of 53.6% and a live birth rate of 41.5%, with a multiple pregnancy rate of 10.2%.
Conclusion: According to registry data, the number of ART programs in 2021 increased by 72.88% compared to the previous year. The launch of the state program “Ansagan Sabi” (Longing Baby) contributed to the improved accessibility of ART. Pregnancy and live birth rates remained stable and aligned with the average ESHRE indicators, confirming the high level of ART development in Kazakhstan.