IVF: Two Embryos No Better Than One?

It is a common practice during in Vitro Fertilization to transfer multiple fertilized eggs at a time, in the hopes that if multiples are transfered, there is more of a chance that one will implant and lead to pregnancy.

However, with multiple embryo transfers, bearing multiple children becomes possible.  Why is that bad?  Multiple pregnancies (like bearing twins, triplets, or the horrific octuplets) carry extra risks for the mother and the babies. Multiple birth children are more likely to suffer chronic disabilities, more likely to be stillborn.  Mothers of twins are more likely to have complications, or die in childbirth. And whats more, transferring 2 embryos barely increases the odds of successful IVF at all!

Studies have found that for women 35 years and younger, chances of successful pregnancy are not too different in single embryo transfer procedures vs double.  In one study, 43% of women who transfered 2 embryos had successful pregnancies, and 39% of women who transfered one embryo had successful pregnancies. That's only a 4% difference! However, in the 2 embryo group, 33% of the births were twins, compared to 0.8% in the one embryo group.  Is that four percent increase worth the increased risk to mother and child?  I would say no!

And yet, IVF patients and doctors continue to insist on multiple embryo transfers, usually because they are just unaware of the risks or think that 2 embryos are twice as good as one.  If you are considering IVF, be sure that both you and your doctor are informed about single embryo transfer methods and success rates!

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Read the results of the research here