More than 10,000 women a year in Britain are now giving birth to "test-tube" babies, according to new figures.
Some 10,242 women gave birth following in-vitro fertilisation in 2006, according to the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority.
This resulted in 12,596 babies and was an increase of 13 per cent on the previous year.
The number of successful pregnancies represented about a third of the women who underwent treatment – a total of 34,855.
In total some 23 per cent of IVF procedures result in a successful birth, the HFEA said – although success rates are increasing.
This year is the 30th anniversary of the birth of the first test-tube baby, Louise Brown, in Britain.
HFEA chair Professor Lisa Jardine said: "In the year that we celebrated the thirtieth anniversary of the birth of the world´s first IVF baby, these latest figures show just how far we´ve come.
"IVF is now common-place, with the number of treatment cycles and births rising yet again."
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