By KAZUYA GOTO/ Staff Writer
August 30, 2025 at 12:31 JST
Stock photo of a pregnant woman (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
The number of children born via in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Japan reached a record high of 85,048 in 2023, according to the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology.
It said the figure represents an increase of 7,842 from the previous year.
The total number of births in 2023 came to approximately 727,000, meaning that about 1 in 8.5 children was born via IVF. This compares to 1 in 11.6 in 2021 and 1 in 10.0 in 2022.
With the fiscal 2022 start of infertility treatment being covered by public health insurance, an increase in children born via IVF was anticipated through 2023.
The number of IVF treatments in 2023 reached a record high of 561,664 cases. By age group, 39-year-olds had the highest number of treatments at 46,181 cases, followed by 42-year-olds and 40-year-olds.
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