A baby conceived using in-vitro fertilisation when only a single embryo is returned to the uterus has a better chance of being born, according to a recent study of assisted births in Australian and New Zealand.
Commenting on the results of the study, Westmead Fertility Centre (WFC) Director, Dr Howard Smith said that at WFC over the last two years more than 80% of embryo transfers have been single embryo transfers.
“When we compare cycle outcomes for single versus double embryo transfers over this period, there is no difference in pregnancy rates”, Dr Smith said.
He said that because of these positive statistics and the risks involved in multiple pregnancies, WFC strongly recommended transferring embryos one at a time except for specific individual circumstances.
The study conducted by the Perinatal & Reproductive Epidemiology Research Unit of the University of NSW, analysed more than 50,000 births after assisted reproductive technology in Australia and New Zealand between 2004 and 2008.
