Warning over dangers of multiple births from Canada...

News from Canada of an expert in multiple births who has accused the IVF industry of "creating a population of sick babies", and has demanded to know why fertilty experts continue to put back more than one embryo.

The multiple birth rate had surged in Canada, and there had been more and more babies born prematurely with low birth weights who were at risk of long-term health problems. Although the number of twins and triplets born after fertility treatment in Canada had dropped a little more recently, it is still around 25%.

In Quebec, treatment is paid for by the state but in the majority of cases only one embryo is transferred at a time, and the multiple rate has dropped to around 5%, but in other parts of the country it's still fairly routine to put back two or more embryos.

Here in the UK, there has been considerable pressure on fertility clinics to reduce the number of multiple pregnancies and many are making great strides to achieve this. Unfortunately others are happy to continue to blame patient pressure for their decision to keep transferring two embryos even where patients are at high risk of a multiple pregnancy.

One consultant told me recently that of the couples they'd advised to have a single embryo transfer who had ignored the advice, every single one had ended up with a multiple pregnancy. The important thing to remember is that if you were going to get pregnant with twins, you will still get pregnant but with one baby who is far less likely to have health problems.

I know it can be difficult to accept single embryo transfer but that's partly because of the way the IVF industry works in this country. For too long, fertility patients have had to take risks with their future children's health and it is important to understand that by having a single embryo transferred you are not being penalised, but are being offered a greater chance of having a healthy baby - it's not always appreciated that multiple birth poses the biggest health risk to children born after fertility treatment.

For more information about single embryo transfer, go to www.oneatatime.org.uk