A recent advance in assisted reproductive technology is the single embryo transfer approach. It is chosen by all the leading clinics in the world. In her interview, Miroslava Vacik, a reproductologist at the ISIDA clinic, told what benefits ISIDA clinic patients will receive from the introduction of this approach.
Why is the question of the number of embryo transfers during in vitro fertilization (IVF) so important?
IVF is developing rapidly. Since the beginning of the implementation of the program, changes have been taking place every year to improve the results of IVF (pregnancy), as well as to reduce risks and complications for patients. In particular, such a question as the number of embryos per transfer is very important. The fact is that it is the number of transferred embryos that affects the likelihood of a multiple pregnancy. If there are three or more of them (this approach was common before), the number of births of twos and even threes increases significantly. But the transfer of one embryo gives the lowest percentage of multiple pregnancies.
What is so dangerous about multiple pregnancies?
Multiple pregnancies are associated with many health risks for both mother and children. Practice shows that such pregnant women significantly increase the risk of developing hypertension, anemia and diabetes. With twins, the frequency of premature birth of deeply premature babies is quite significant: 40-60%. For example, 10.1% of children with twins and 31.8% of children with triplets have insufficient body weight at birth.
And if the pregnancy is singleton, insufficient body weight is observed only in 1.1% of newborns. It is also well known that newborns are much more likely to need to stay in the intensive care unit during multiple pregnancies. In addition, according to statistics, children with twins have a 5-fold increased risk of disability from cerebral palsy (cerebral palsy) and chronic lung diseases. Various nervous disorders, and in the future – learning difficulties are also more common in children from multiple pregnancies. Thus, the emergence of a single embryo transfer approach in assisted reproductive technologies is a significant step towards a more prosperous pregnancy and the birth of a healthy baby.
Why do patients sometimes distrust the transfer of a single embryo?
Patients mistakenly believe that the greater the number of embryos, the greater the chance to get such a long-awaited pregnancy and give birth to a child. But such a vision does not correspond to reality. Judging by practice, when transferring three or more embryos, the pregnancy rate is 45%, while the frequency of multiple pregnancies reaches more than 30%. At the same time, with the transfer of two or fewer embryos, the pregnancy rate also remains 45%, but the number of multiple pregnancies is halved! In addition, you need to understand that this method allows you to carry out selective selection and transfer one or two embryos of the best quality. Therefore, the effectiveness of ART does not decrease in any way, and the expected pregnancy will occur with the same probability as with the transfer of several embryos. It is worth noting that when transferring three embryos, reduction is mandatory (reducing, in a certain period, the number of living embryos). On the one hand, this procedure allows you to reduce the number of embryos, but on the other hand, it can negatively affect the gestation of the fetus (the risk of termination of pregnancy is 10-20%).
Which approach of fertilization is currently preferred in the ISIDA clinic?
Now the ISIDA clinic has practically abandoned the transfer of three embryos, switched to the transfer of two embryos in cryo cycles and in age-related patients, as well as the transfer of one embryo in young patients with short-term infertility. At the same time, the frequency of pregnancy has not decreased at all, but on the contrary, has increased.
Thus, the method of transferring one embryo has already proved its effectiveness?
Yes, almost all modern clinics in the world specializing in ART now prefer the method of transferring one or two embryos. ISIDA Clinic keeps up with the latest achievements of science and medicine. For us, an important criterion is not only the onset of pregnancy, but also carrying it to normal terms and the birth of a healthy child.
