Document Type : Systematic Review

Authors

1 Department of Regenerative Medicine, Cell Science Research Center, Royan Institute for Stem Cell Biology and Technology, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

2 Department of Applied Cell Sciences, Faculty of Basic Sciences and Advanced Medical Technologies, Royan Institute, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

3 Department of Reproductive Imaging, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

4 Department of Medical Library and Information Sciences, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

5 Department of Genetics, Reproductive Biomedicine Research Center, Royan Institute for Reproductive Biomedicine, ACECR, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Recent achievements in reproductive biomedicine have led to a revolution in infertility treatment. A comprehensive understanding
of the current status of reproductive medicine is necessary for the development of a forward-looking plan by
health policymakers, based on fundamental requirements. This study is a systematic review of the Scopus database to
assess reproductive biomedicine publications within Iran and compared to the rest of the world from 1990 to 2020. The
data were categorized by geographical distribution across five continents. National data were assessed in comparison
with the world and with neighboring countries. Finally, prominent national research institutes in the field of reproductive
biomedicine in Iran were identified, and their contributions to the field highlighted. Of the five continents, the highest
number of publications and citations is from Europe (36% publications and 41.5% citations). Corresponding numbers for
the other continents are 32 and 33% for America, and 26 and 18.4% for Asia respectively. The remaining publications and
citations were from Australia (3.8 and 4.1%) and Africa (2.6 and 3.1%). In a national analysis, the highest-ranking institutes
in reproductive biomedicine are in Tehran province (50.9% of all Iranian publications), Shiraz (8.8%), Yazd (7.8%),
Isfahan (7.1%), and Tabriz (6.9%). More specifically, Tehran University of Medical Science (15.9%), the Royan Institute
(12.2%), Shahid Beheshti Medical University (10.1%), Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences (6.9%), and
Tarbiat Modares University (6.7%) account for more than 50% of all Iranian scientific publications. In recent decades,
reproductive biomedical research has grown significantly in Iran. Reviewing publications in this field helps health policy
decision makers to monitor the direction of research and adjust investment in the treatment of infertility. In addition, it is
necessary to expand and organize inter-organizational and international collaborations to improve the research, gain the
benefits of different experiences, and engage in international multicenter studies.

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