Fertility Clinics Urged To Use Single Embryos To Cut Multiple Pregnancies

Single embryos for women younger than 37 to cut the rate of multiple pregnancies should be used by fertility clinics experts have said.

The British Fertility Society (BFS) and the Association of Clinical Embryologists (ACE) have issued new guidelines in the journal Human Fertility to help UK clinics introduce an elective single embryo transfer (eSET) policy for IVF treatment.

Single embryo transfer is the only effective method to reduce IVF multiple pregnancy rate, the single biggest health risk to both mother and child associated with fertility treatment. UK practice in this area currently lags behind most of Europe and Australia, principally due to the lack of adequate state funding.

Mr Tony Rutherford, Chair of the BFS Policy and Practice Committee, said: "The key to success with this strategy is more NHS funding. The British Fertility Society strongly believes that the health benefits to children, the reduction in distress for families and the enormous cost savings for society make an overwhelming case for single embryo transfer in certain situations. Transferring only one embryo to those women most at risk of having twins is the only effective method to reduce the multiple birth rate after IVF treatment. It is imperative that elective single embryo transfer is made the norm for these women in the UK, as it is elsewhere in Europe. The only way in which this strategy can be effectively implemented for the benefit of both mothers and babies is for the NHS to increase funding to allow full implementation of the NICE guidelines on fertility treatment."

Mrs Rachel Cutting, from the Association of Clinical Embryologists, said: "New advances in embryology mean we can tackle the risks of multiple births much more effectively than ever before. These guidelines provide a clear, evidence based approach to judging embryo quality, the optimum time to transfer embryos, and the importance of an effective cryopreservation programme. The Association of Clinical Embryologists is committed to working towards a reduction in the number of multiple births, but this can only be achieved if adequate funding is provided by the state. Embryologists are key to helping to reduce multiple pregnancy."

(CD/JM)