Women going in for fertility treatments should restrict the number of embryos that are used to just one, instead of the present maximum of two. A proposal to this effect is being recommended by experts to cap the soaring number of twin births.
The specialist team commissioned by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) reported these findings after it observed that one in four IVF pregnancies resulted in the birth of twins. This figure was almost 10 times more that that the rate of twins born through natural pregnancy. Terming this practice a major hazard of IVF, experts warned that twin babies faced tremendous health risks. Twins were more likely to be born premature, underweight or have some sort of birth defect. The risk of the twins being still-born was also a possibility. Mothers too did not escape the health perils. Multiple pregnancy mothers often suffered from high blood pressure, and faced the risk of morbidity. Other factors like the high cost of raising twins were also cited. The panel said that maintaining twins would cost the Health Service 16 times as much as maintaining a single child.
The authorities strongly recommended reducing the number of embryos from two to one in younger women. It was also suggested that by introducing tougher controls and checks in fertility clinics on the number of twins that resulted from these treatment, the proportions could be capped by 5 -10%.
IVF, which was introduced 25 years ago, has had a tremendous impact on society and 90% of IVF procedures involve transfer of two embryos rather than one to improve chances of conception. Professor Peter Braude, chairman of the expert group and a fertility specialist at St Thomas's Hospital, however allayed fears and said that this reduction would not lower the success rate of the treatment. The final aim as always remains to have a healthy baby.
