News • November 14, 2025

More people are getting help to have children

Alexander Freis

Fertility specialist and gynecologist

An increasing proportion of children in Norway are being conceived through assisted reproduction. It is a development that says a lot about both medical progress and how our society has changed in its view of fertility, family and equality.

according to figures from the National Institute of Public Health 5,5% of all children born in Norway in 2023 were conceived with the help of assisted reproduction – compared to 4,4% just a few years earlier. This increase is not necessarily an expression of “more childlessness”, but rather that more people are receiving help earlier and that more groups have access to treatment.

From taboo to security

When assisted reproduction was introduced in Norway in the 1980s, for many it was associated with silence and stigma. Today, the situation is completely different. Seeking help to have children has become a natural and safe part of healthcare, both public and private.

It's not just about medical technology, it's about culture. More people talking openly about fertility and getting support from their environment means a lot. It makes it easier to seek help, and it reduces the emotional burden that involuntary childlessness could previously entail.

New family types and increased accessibility

Developments in legislation and societal values have also had a major impact. The fact that both single women and same-sex couples can now receive help is an expression of society's changing view of what a family can be. Fertility treatment is fundamentally about giving people the opportunity to live – regardless of who they are or what their life situation is. The increase in treatments is evident in both heterosexual couples, singles and same-sex couples.

A constantly evolving medical field

In recent years, we have seen significant advances in how treatments are performed.
We know more about hormone stimulation, embryology and individual adaptation, and this results in higher success rates and less burden for patients. At the same time, we see increasing interest in egg freezing and other measures to preserve fertility earlier in life – especially among younger women who want to plan more long-term.

Quality and responsibility

With increasing demand comes responsibility. It is crucial that fertility clinics maintain high medical and ethical standards and provide patients with realistic information about both possibilities and limitations. For me, this work is not about volume, but about quality and safety in each individual course of treatment.

Assisted fertilization is a wonderful technology, but the most important thing is the people behind it. Each treatment represents hope, patience, and a desire to create a family.

One clear social feature

The figures show that 2914 children were born after assisted reproduction in 2023 – almost 25% more than five years ago. Norway is still a long way from Denmark, where about one in ten children is born with the help of fertility treatment, but we are moving in that direction.

This development is not just about numbers. It shows how society has matured: more knowledge, more openness and a greater willingness to take fertility seriously. It is a positive development – and a reminder that what we do in clinics every day is more than medical treatment. It is work with deep human values.

Also read TV 2's article: More people are having children with assisted reproduction (tv2.no)

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More people are getting help to have children

From taboo to security

New family types and increased accessibility

A constantly evolving medical field

Quality and responsibility

One clear social feature

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