Assisted Reproduction Database (ARD)

The Assisted Reproduction Database (ARD) has been established and managed by the Health Promotion Administration, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Taiwan, since 1995. It provides coverage of the nationwide population undergoing Artificial Reproductive Technology (ART) treatments. By law, all licensed ART clinics are required to report their practices to the ARD, enabling nationwide monitoring and analysis of ART activities. The database operates on a per-cycle reporting system, documenting information including couples' demographic characteristics, infertility causes, treatment details (such as ovarian stimulation and embryo transfer protocols), and outcomes (including pregnancy and live birth). It also captures neonatal information for ART-conceived children, such as birth weight and gestational age. The ARD has several limitations, including the absence of laboratory parameters, embryo quality assessments, and detailed medication-related information such as drug dosages and concomitant treatments. However, the inclusion of maternal identification numbers enables researchers to link ARD with other databases, thereby obtaining diagnoses, medications, and procedure records, and further facilitating longitudinal studies.