[Activity of the Istituto Superiore di Sanitá regarding medically assisted reproduction]

In vitro fertilization and embryo transfer, embryo cryo-preservation, multiple pregnancies, embryo reduction, embryo and gamete donation: each of these questions deserves an articulate ethical and medical discussion. In Italy until this moment we do not have a legislation for the regulation of medically assisted reproduction. One of the most suitable means to monitoring large scale initiatives for medically assisted procreation is through registries that collect standardized information on all treatment cycles performed. In 1992, the Italian national registry on medically assisted procreation was established at the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS, the Italian National Health Institute). The Registry collects data sent voluntarily by centers to the ISS for each cycle of treatment started and for each outcome. The data collected can be used to conduct an adequate statistical-epidemiological analysis and to better evaluate results of specific techniques.