Reduce multiple IVF births, experts urge

By Patricia Reaney

PRAGUE (Reuters) – Fertility specialists are pushing for
tighter controls to reduce the number of multiple births from
IVF treatments, a leading expert said on Sunday.

The number of twins and triplets has risen since Louise
Brown, the world’s first in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) baby, was
born nearly three decades ago.

In Europe now, almost a quarter of successful fertility
procedures result in multiple births.

Professor Paul Devroey, chairman of the European Society of
Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE), believes it is too
high and that more needs to be done to reduce the risk.

“There is a need to replace fewer embryos and ESHRE is
pushing to do that,” he said in an interview before the start
of the society’s annual meeting.

The number of embryos placed in the womb during IVF varies
from one to four depending on the country. Doctors use more
embryos to raise the chances of a pregnancy but it also
increases the risk of multiple births, which is dangerous for
the mother and children.

Having twins or triplets can lead to complications in the
mother and premature birth, low birth weight and physical and
developmental problems in the children.

“Fewer and fewer embryos are replaced in countries but
still too many are transferred, especially in the high risk
group of young women,” said Devroey.

He added that transferring one embryo gives almost the same
result as two but without the risk of multiple births or the
added costs of caring for premature infants.

WELFARE OF THE CHILD

Experts attending the conference will also present research
on improving ways of freezing eggs, stopping IVF identity fraud
and screening embryos for an abnormalities such as Down’s
syndrome.

Although pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) is not
used in Germany, Italy and France, it is increasing in other
countries, according to Devroey.

He added the techniques only screen certain chromosomes and
called for more studies to determine whether PGS improves the
success rate of fertility treatments.

More than 2 million babies worldwide have been born as a
result of fertility treatment. In the United States the baby
business is a $3 billion industry, while in Britain it is
calculated to be worth $1 billion.

Despite the growing number of IVF babies, Devroey said
there have been few long-term studies that have tracked their
physical and emotional development.

“It is the responsibility of every center in the world to
try to obtain from the pediatrician and the parents information
about the welfare of the child,” he added.

Nearly 6,000 doctors, researchers and scientists are
attending the four-day meeting in the Czech Republic.