Reducing Multiple Births

By Kathleen

Couples undergoing infertility treatments are obviously very aware of having no children, but they may not ponder what a successful IVF cycle sometimes brings- multiple births. Having more than one child may seem like a blessing but it is rarely something people would choose. Multiple births carry higher risks to both mother and child, as well as additional financial problems and increased stress on families. Traditionally, couples transfer several embryos during an IVF cycle to ‘hedge their bets’ in the hope that at least (and hopefully only) one would succeed. A negative side effect of this approach is multiple embryos implanting. Single blastocyst transfer, as outlined in this article, is a technique that can reduce or eliminate the chance of multiple pregnancies and has typically been offered to only younger patients in the US. Transferring a single blastocyst offers good chance for a successful implantation without the problems associated with a multiple pregnancy. Researchers examined this technique in older patients- over 35 years old. The patients had an ongoing pregnancy rate of 51% after the first trimester. It is important to note that this technique is only recommended in couples who have good embryo quality and a relatively good chance of becoming pregnant.