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Fertility expert calls for use of fewer embryos

DUBAI - Transferring fewer embryos during fertility treatments can achieve the same results but with less health risks for the mother and child, a fertility expert has said.

Calling upon practitioners in the UAE, Dr Peter Brinsden, Group Medical Director of Bourn Hall Clinic International (co-founded by the father of IVF), said transferring of one embryo for younger women and maximum of two for older women can achieve the same results but without putting the lives of mother and child in danger.

“The trend is changing in Europe and North America where incidents of quadruplets born due to intense fertility treatment have dropped over the past 10 years,” said Dr Brinsden who gave an evidence-based presentation at the Obs & Gyne Exhibition and Congress on Sunday.

“There has always been a belief among IVF practitioners and patients that increasing the number of embryos will improve the chances of pregnancy and patients will often choose to increase their chances with little regard to the real consequences,” he explained.

The incidence of twin and high-order multiple births worldwide has quadrupled since 1980. The increase is attributed to three major factors — women having their first child at an older age, more people resorting to ovulation induction and insemination procedures, as well as advanced fertility treatments such as IVF.

“Having multiple pregnancies also places a huge financial burden on the patient and healthcare system,” said Dr Brinsden.

“Recent analyses of large databases indicate that pregnancy rates may be more influenced by the number of embryos available for transfer rather than by the number actually transferred.”

The risk of foetal, neonatal and infant death is considerably increased for twins, triplets and quadruplets.

“Maternal complications of triplet and high-order multiple births include pregnancy induced hypertension, ante-partum and post-partum haemorrhage and severe anaemia,” he explained.

He also said that both practitioners and patients needed adequate counselling and education on the potentially disastrous consequences of multiple pregnancies. “The problem is that patients too want to have twins and triplets,” he said.

The 22,000-sq-ft Bourn Hall Clinic Dubai which is expected to open by next month is located in Jumeirah’s Shaikh Hamdan Centre. It has the capacity to treat approximately 50 couples per day at various stages of their treatment.

The Dubai facility will feature a state-of-the-art laboratory complex where couples can view lab procedures taking place through a special viewing area.

asmaalizain@khaleejtimes.com