Anyone who has qualms about the aim to reduce the number of multiple births after assisted conception in the UK should look at a new study from Canada published in The Journal of Pediatrics which analyses the admissions to neonatal intensive care of IVF babies.
The research shows that a hefty 17% of the newborn babies in intensive care were the result of multiple pregnancies after assisted conception, and that a policy of single embryo transfer could save 30-40 deaths across Canada each year, not to mention many serious complications.
The researchers studied a database from one hospital over a period of some years to check for significant complications, and extrapolated those findings to the whole country. They found that twins were more likely to be premature, were more likely to be admitted to intensive care and were also more likely to have other complications. They say that although fertility specialists are aware of the risks of multiple pregnancy, they are still willing to continue with procedures that carry risks for mothers and their babies and that this is partly due to the fact that people are usually paying for their treatment. The couples are therefore willing to attempt anything that might mean paying for fewer cycles, while clinics are pressured for higher "success" rates. The researchers make it clear that they feel the medical system "sometimes has the responsibility to refuse to offer interventions that increase morbidity when there are equally effective alternatives available, which lead to lower morbidity; especially when the large part of the morbidity is suffered by another individual, in this case, the baby." They call for a system where treatment costs are reimbursed and where IVF is regulated in order to save lives and long-term additional expenses.
You can read the report in full at www.jpeds.com
