One Egg or Two? Oh Sorry, You Only Get One
June 28, 2008 by Gabrielle
Filed under Diseases & Conditions
BBC News reports that IVF clinics in the United Kingdom have been given a mandate to reduce the number of multiple births resulting from IVF treatments from 25% to 10% over the next three years. This means, “increasing the proportion of women who have a single embryo transferred back into their womb,” as opposed to two or three or more. Higher health risks and the increased potential of developmental delays for multiples were cited as the rationale.
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My clinic here in the States feels very strongly about using no more than two embryos in any IVF attempt. I have heard of others that will use upwards of five. Sometimes more. I know women who have transferred 3 embryos at once and spent the next two weeks on pins and needles. Will one of these grow? Will they all grow??? For me, the prospect of triplets would fill the dreaded two week wait with even more anxiety. Yet, I am fine with the thought of twins, so two feels like a good number for me. I’m not sure how I would feel if my clinic told me that the transfer of one embryo at a time was all that was allowed, especially knowing the cost of future cycles.
The issue of costs was raised by Dr Mark Hamilton, chair of the British Fertility Society:
The National Institute of Clinical and Health Excellence recommends women under the age of 40 receive three cycles of IVF on the NHS.
But he said only 5% of health authorities in England offered three cycles with most only offering one cycle – a situation which left women feeling pressured to have more than one embryo implanted to maximise their chances of success.
“It is absolutely imperative that funding issues around IVF are addressed.
“If patients did not have to worry about finding the money for their own treatment this would certainly be much easier to implement,” he said.
Funding issues aside, there has already been strong opposition voiced to this plan by some patients and doctors.
What do you think? Does this feel like a responsible policy, or one that leaves women with fewer choices and fewer chances of becoming pregnant?
