Doctors are suddenly on a tear to reduce the number of twins and
triplets born in the U.S. Twins are everywhere and triplets aren't
really all that original anymore either thanks to advances in fertility
treatments.
But considering the health risks multiple births
pose to both moms and babies, those in the business are looking for ways to lower the
number of triplet -- and even twin -- births.
For starters, they want to implant fewer fertilized eggs. But everybody knows fertility treatments cost a fortune.
From the NY Times:
“People have to recognize that there’s a connection between cost and
how the treatment is going to play out,” said Barbara Collura,
executive director of Resolve, a patient advocacy organization for
people with infertility. “If you have $10,000 that you’ve begged,
borrowed and stolen for this one I.V.F. cycle, you’re not going to say,
‘Please just transfer one.’ ”
Others want to wait five days after the extracted egg is fertilized instead of only three. That gives more time for abnormal chromosomes to be revealed, thereby disqualifying a greater number of embryos and allowing fewer to be transfered while maintaining the odds one will turn into a viable pregnancy.
Better screening, fewer embryo transfers, and telling would-be moms of the risks that mulitple births carry is the plan so far. What else? Do you think multiple births are a problem? What was your experience?
