The Evolving World of Fertility – The Increasing Embryo Transfer Rates
In vitro fertilization, commonly referred to as IVF, treatment concludes with the transfer of embryos directly into a woman’s uterus. From there it is a waiting game to see if the transferred embryos implant, resulting in pregnancy. In traditional IVF treatment, multiple embryos are transferred with the belief that increasing the number of embryos also increases the chance of pregnancy. However, research shows this is not the case. Transferring multiple embryos does not increase pregnancy rates. What does increase is the likelihood of conceiving multiples which can result in significant health risks to both mother and child.
Single Embryo Transfer
Leading fertility centers world-wide are adopting a single embryo transfer policy. Their focus is on providing couples with a single healthy child, which requires just one embryo. Transferring multiple embryos increases the likelihood of multiple pregnancy which has several risks including:
- Greater likelihood of developing gestational diabetes
- Greater likelihood of having high blood pressure while pregnant
- Increased stress on the mother’s heart and cardiovascular system
- Increased chance of low birth rate
- Higher rates of prematurity
- Increased chance of infant mortality
In the end, it is ultimately the patient’s decision on how many embryos to transfer during each cycle. However, it is important to consult with your fertility care team about their experiences and the reasoning behind their recommendation.
Increasing Pregnancy Rates
There are several things fertility centers can do in order to improve pregnancy rates without transferring more than one embryo. These include:
- Providing treatment plans that are uniquely tailored to the specific needs of each patient
- Using stress management techniques such as support groups, yoga and acupuncture
- Focusing on both the physical and emotional aspects of fertility treatments
- Using state of the art technology to ensure the best techniques are used such as vitrification to freeze eggs
To learn more about embryo transfer rates and their effect on the outcome of fertility treatment, contact the experts at New Hope Fertility Center today. Please click the link below to enter your information and New Hope will contact you, or simply call 212-517-7676. Thank You.
Want to know about embryo transfer rates and how they impact pregnancy success rates? This article provides.
