Quality report for the Statistics on Assisted Fertility
Treatments (OSF)
Relevance of statistical data
The Statistics on Assisted Fertility Treatments compiled by the
National Institute for Health and Welfare (THL) contain information
on in vitro fertilisation (IVF) and intracytoplasmic sperm
injection (ICSI) treatments and related frozen embryo transfers
(FETs) as well as intrauterine inseminations (IUIs). The statistics
contain information on the numbers and results of treatments on an
annual basis. The statistics include preliminary data on treatments
in the previous year and data on the number of treatments and their
outcomes in the year preceding that.
Data on IVF, ICSI and FET treatments has been collected since
1992. Data has been collected separately on oocyte donations (since
1996), sperm and embryo donations and surrogacy (since 2001) as
well as on inseminations at clinics giving infertility treatments
(since 2006). The statistics also provide information on the number
and size of clinics giving treatments, treatment results and the
number of births per type of treatment.
The data are given at the national level, with no
clinic-specific data published. Data are collected for THL in table
form; no personal data is collected on persons receiving
treatment.
The statistics are intended particularly for health care
professionals, researchers, administrators and planning officials
working in the area of reproductive health.
The text and tables in the statistics describe the concepts,
definitions and symbols used in the statistics.
The data collection was started on the initiative of the clinics
providing infertility treatments and the data disclosure was
voluntary until 2005. In accordance with the Decree issued under
section 26 of the Act on Assisted Fertility Treatments, which
entered into force on 1 September 2007, there is a statutory duty
to provide THL with statistical data. The providers of assisted
fertility treatment services must provide THL with information
about their assisted fertility treatment activities for the
purposes of supervision, monitoring and statistics (the Act on
Assisted Fertility Treatments (1237/2006) and the Ministry of
Social Affairs and Health Decree on Assisted Fertility Treatments
(825/2007).
Description of methods
The Statistics on
Assisted Fertility Treatments are compiled annually from all
private and public sector clinics in Finland that give assisted
fertility treatments. The statistics are based on all performed
assisted fertility treatments. The clinic performing the treatment
is responsible for reporting. Only aggregate-level data are
collected concerning these treatments.
The data is collected from the clinics that provide treatment
using an international data collection form. Data are collected
using paper forms, and stored electronically from the forms. The
data are checked before storing and any unclear data are
ascertained by contacting the reporting clinic. The statistics
almost invariably have a coverage of 100 per cent. Anonymous case
reports are gathered concerning congenital anomalies and serious
diseases of the mother or the newborn infant.
Correctness and accuracy of data
The data
are correct in so far as they have been reported correctly.
Estimates made on the basis of preliminary statistics on the
previous year's treatments have been found to be very close to the
real figures. Any inaccuracies identified in the statistics are
corrected annually. This also applies to data from earlier
years.
Timeliness and promptness of published
data
The Statistics on Assisted Fertility Treatments
are produced annually by THL. The Statistical Report is published
in April. The statistics are concerned with treatments given two
statistical years earlier and with preliminary data on the previous
year's treatments. The lag in the data collection is due to the
fact that data cannot be collected until the results of all
treatments are known: the last children are born as late as the
autumn of the year following the treatment. It should also be noted
that the statistical years given in the tables on births refer to
the year of fertilisation, not to the year of birth.
Accessibility and transparency/clarity of
data
In addition to being published online at
http://www.thl.fi/statistics/ivftreatments,
the statistics are sent to the clinics providing assisted fertility
treatments. In addition, the clinics and the European Society for
Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) are provided with more
detailed, nationwide statistical data.
Comparability of statistical data
The
Finnish Statistics on Assisted Fertility Treatments begin from the
statistical year 1992. In 1992-1993, the data were collected by the
IVF clinic at Helsinki University Hospital. Since 1994, the data
collection has been THL's (previously STAKES) responsibility. The
data collection has been expanded to cover new forms of treatment
and, since 2006, also artificial inseminations by clinics providing
assisted fertility treatments. More detailed information on factors
affecting the interpretation of the statistical data is given
separately for each table. The concepts and definitions related to
assisted fertility treatments have not changed.
Clarity and consistency
The data on
assisted fertility treatments are nationwide. The numbers given in
the preliminary statistics for the previous year relatively
accurately reflect the final annual statistics.
Specific information on the Statistics on Assisted
Fertility Treatments 2009-2010
The statistics on
assisted fertility treatments now published were collected by the
Information Department of the National Institute for Health and
Welfare (THL) in January-March 2011. The data concern treatment in
2009 and preliminary treatment data for 2010. The lag in the data
collection is due to the fact that complete information cannot be
collected until the results of all treatments are known: the last
infants are born as late as the autumn of the following year. It
should also be noted that the statistical years given in the tables
on births refer to the year of fertilisation, not to the year of
birth.
All 25 clinics giving fertility treatments that operated in
Finland in 2009-2010 responded to the survey (11 clinics in the
public sector and 14 in the private sector). All 25 clinics
provided IUI treatments and 19 clinics also provided IVF, ICSI and
FET treatments. One of the clinics ceased operations at the end of
2009.
The follow-up data on six pregnancies could not be obtained from
one of the clinics, and the data for one clinic are missing from
the statistics for 2001-2002.
A new question was added to the data collection in 2009-2010,
concerning preliminary data on the number of IVF treatments using
donor gametes in 2010. Preliminary data on IUI treatments using
donor gametes had already been requested earlier. The additional
question made data collection more uniform and enables full
reporting of preliminary data for 2010.
For the first time, the statistics now include data on donor
gametes from the register of donors maintained by the National
Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health (Valvira). The
register of donors was founded in 2007 upon the entry into force of
the Act on Assisted Fertility Treatments. Under the Act, a person
who may have been born from a donated gamete or embryo shall, upon
attaining the age of eighteen, be entitled to learn the identity of
the donor. Prior to the entry into force of the new Act in 2007,
the donation of gametes was anonymous and persons born from donated
gametes were unable to find out the identity of the
donor. |