Strategies to minimize multiple births in recipients of egg donation

Abstract

Multiple gestation is increasingly considered a complication of in vitro fertilization (IVF). No longer held is the view that pregnancy should be pursued at all costs and that multiples are simply another inevitable consequence of infertility treatment. Improved techniques for embryo culture and selection, a better understanding of the substantial risks of multiple embryo transfer, and increased regulatory scrutiny have led to a reconsideration of the definition of success in assisted reproductive technology (ART). The well-documented hazards of multiple embryo transfer together with a broader definition of adverse outcomes that include harm to the potential child(ren), mothers, families, health-care systems, and society are force vectors that encourage a revision in ART practice.