In 2022, South Korea saw over 200,000 infertility treatments, with 78,543 individuals undergoing these procedures. On average, each person received about three treatments.
The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) released these figures on March 26, 2025, in a report titled Infertility Treatment Statistics. This report provides detailed data on infertility treatments and pregnancy rates in the country. For the first time, the statistics also include information on infertility causes, treatment processes, and pregnancy outcomes, gathered from designated infertility treatment centers.
In 2022, a total of 201 institutions offered infertility treatments, marking 200,707 treatment cases—a significant increase of 36.7% from 53,653 cases in 2019. Among the treatments, 83.4% were in vitro fertilizations (IVF), with 166,870 cases, while artificial insemination accounted for 16.6%, with 33,137 cases. The number of IVF cases rose from 110,390 in 2019 to 166,870 in 2022, while artificial insemination cases increased slightly from 30,964 to 33,137.
The average age of individuals receiving infertility treatments was 37.9 years. When analyzing treatment types by age, the average age for IVF patients was higher than for those receiving artificial insemination. IVF was most common among those aged 35-39, accounting for 34.2% of treatments, while artificial insemination was most frequent among those aged 30-34, making up 43% of cases.
Pregnancy rates were higher for IVF compared to artificial insemination. The average pregnancy rate for IVF was 36.9%, while for artificial insemination, it was 13%. As age increased, pregnancy rates dropped significantly, especially after the age of 40.
Experts have noted that as first marriages occur later in life, the number of infertility treatments is likely to rise. They recommend that couples planning to conceive undergo fertility tests before the age of 35 and, if needed, seek timely infertility treatments.
Seo Hee-sook, director of the medical resources department at HIRA, announced that starting this year, they will regularly release user-friendly information on infertility. She also emphasized their commitment to developing more statistical data to support policies on infertility.
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