Multiple pregnancy
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority has recently advised all
IVF clinics in the UK that no more than 2 embryos can be transferred in an
IVF cycle apart from in patients over the age of 40 years having treatment with their own eggs. Many infertile couples are quite pleased at the idea of having twins although most couples would prefer not to conceive a triplet pregnancy. It is still possible to conceive a triplet pregnancy even if just 2 embryos are replaced and this happens if one of the embryos divides into identical twins. Fortunately this is very uncommon. In couples who conceive naturally, the chance of a twin pregnancy is approximately one in every eighty pregnancies. With
IVF treatment, the chance of a twin pregnancy is one in every three to four pregnancies. Apart from the social and professional problems of multiple pregnancies, particularly triplets, the medical problems related to the carriage of two or three babies can be very significant. These include an increased risk to the mother of pregnancy related complications such as high blood pressure, diabetes and haemorrhage. Problems for the babies include the risk of delivery of very premature babies who may not survive or who may survive with important handicaps including brain damage. The ideal outcome of
IVF is to have a single healthy baby.
