Limits on Embryo Transfer?

by Pattie Hughes | More from this Blogger

06 Feb 2009 07:32 AM

The recent news of the birth of octuplets has brought the debate about embryo transfer back into the spotlight. Higher order multiples usually result from IVF treatments involving the transfer of many embryos. In most cases, all transferred embryos don't implant. However, in some cases all do implant successfully, resulting in a higher order multiple pregnancy.

Infertility clinics vary widely in the United States regarding the number of embryos transferred during one IVF cycle. The logic behind implanting a larger number of embryos is to improve the success rates for the clinic. Since many embryos will not successfully implant, there is a higher chance a woman will not conceive with only one or two embryos implanted than with four or more. Many reproductive endocrinologists don't consider this practice to be ethical.

Many clinics have limits on the number of embryos to three. This is done because multiple pregnancies are inherently high risk and the risk increases with the number of babies. Other clinics implant on the fifth day to ensure the healthiest embryos are chosen, so fewer can be implanted while still offering a better chance of success.

A large part of the controversy surrounding embryo transfer is tied into the abortion debate. This is due to the need, in some cases, for a procedure known as selective reduction. When a large number of embryos is successfully implanted, the procedure is sometimes done to reduce the number of babies in an attempt to save the pregnancy and prevent the myriad of health problems associated with higher order multiple births.

These health problems can be significant with life long repercussions. The cost in terms of medical, therapeutic and special education programs is high, as is the stress caused to families and marriages. This is a big reason many doctors limit the number of embryos transferred in one IVF cycle.

Some countries are moving toward regulations with strict limits on embryo transfer. The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority is the regulating body of infertility treatments in the United Kingdom. This organization is considering a regulation which would allow only one embryo to be transferred during one cycle. Several other European countries already have this regulation in place.

Related Articles:

Is it Worth it to Try ART More Than Once?

Pro Life Infertility Specialists

What is In Vitro Fertilization?

Learn more about Pattie Hughes

Pattie Hughes is a freelance writer and mother of four young children. She and her husband have been married since 1992. Pattie holds a degree in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University.

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fertilitysuccessrates (6) 09 Feb 2009 03:14 PM

One of the challenges for a prospective IVF patient in the United States is making sense of the data provided by SART and the CDC with respect to the success rates of IVF clinics.

SART specifically prohibits members from making comparisons to other clinics or even the national average for things like live birth rate or average number of embryos transferred. It seems that they are more interested in keeping the majority of their members happy than they are in truly providing useful information to prospective patients.

For this reason, we created http://fertilitysuccessrates.com where prospective patients can see comparative statistical data for all reporting clinics in the United States. We hope this will make it easier for patients to make an informed decision and choose a clinic that has superior success rates AND one that follows guidelines concerning average number of embryos transferred. With this information hopefully the patients can start choosing more ethical clinics driving the rouge clinics out of business.

http://fertilitysuccessrates.com

miraclebaby06 (17132) 09 Feb 2009 03:47 PM

My neighbor and I were just talking about this. I think they shouldnt place more than 3 possibly 4 embryos. 4 at 1 time is alot but much easier than say 8! Plus alot of times an egg splits making identical twins so with 3 or 4 eggs you could still end up with 6 to 8 babies but what if 8 eggs tried to split!