In Vitro Fertility Goddess.
Wednesday 3 September, 2008
Source: British Fertility Society
Experts from the British Fertility Society and the Association of Clinical Embryologists have called on fertility clinics to mainly use single embryos for women younger than 37 to reduce a rate of multiple births.
The call is aimed at helping Britain's fertility clinics to meet the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority's three-year target to cut multiple pregnancy rates by more than half over the next three years. Currently, there were 11,262 children born through IVF treatment last year of whom 4,000 were twins.
Multiple pregnancies and births are the single biggest risk for women during fertility treatment because they increase the likelihood of premature birth miscarriage, long-term health problems for the child and can also endanger the mother's health.
Out of the more than 3.5 million babies born worldwide using assisted reproductive technology in the past 30 years, most since have been born to women aged between 30 and 39.
The move for single embryo implantation in Britain follows is not an isolated case as some European governments have already legislated to outlaw multiple implants reduce pregnancy risks.
The HFEA wants women younger than 37 who produce high quality embryos to only receive a single transfer during their first cycle and to freezed the other embryos for use later.
Sarah Williams, IVFG Reporter
