title: Age-specific cost and public funding of a live birth following assisted reproductive treatment in Japan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to calculate and assess the cost of assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment cycles and live-birth events in Japan in 2010.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed a retrospective analysis of 238,185 ART cycles, registered with the national registry of assisted reproductive treatment during 2010. Costs were calculated, using a decision analysis model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The average cost per live birth was ¥1,974,000. This varied from ¥1,155,000 in women aged < 30 years to ¥50,189,000 in women aged ≥ 45, which was 29.6 times higher than that of women aged 35-39 years. This rose sharply in the early 40s and upwards. Public funding per live birth was ¥442,000. This was ¥6,118,000 in women aged ≥ 45, 15.4 times higher than that of the 35-39-year-old age group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The costs and public funding of a live birth after ART treatment rises with age due to the lower success rates in older women. It may provide economic background to improve the current subsidy system for ART and to provide practical knowledge about fertility for the general population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health, Graduate School of Medicine, The University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan.
authors.forename: Eri
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Maeda
authors.forename: Osamu
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Ishihara
authors.forename: Hidekazu
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Saito
authors.forename: Akira
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Kuwahara
authors.forename: Satoshi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Toyokawa
authors.forename: Yasuki
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Kobayashi
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan; D050498:Live Birth / Q000191:economics*; D008423:Maternal Age; D008875:Middle Aged; D027724:Reproductive Techniques, Assisted / Q000191:economics*; D012189:Retrospective Studies
keywords: assisted reproductive technology; cost study; live birth; maternal age; subsidy