Should ART Be Part of a Population Policy Mix? A Preliminary Assessment of the Demographic and Economic Impact of Assisted Reproductive Technologies

Prepared for 22nd Annual Meeting of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, held 18–21 June 2006 in Prague.

If demography is destiny, then it appears that destiny for Europe includes a rapidly ageing population, increasing economic, social and healthcare burdens and a weakening position on the world stage. Governments are waking up to the need to address the demographic shift, but, so far, have not discovered the ideal mix for an effective population policy. This Project Resource details the results of a preliminary investigation into whether Assisted Reproductive Technologies can play a part in preventing European countries from falling into the low fertility trap.