Abstract
Background: Although multiple births are associated with poorer clinical and psychological outcomes, there is a perception that couples choose multiple embryo transfer because they would prefer a multiple IVF birth. Objective: To review literature concerning the attitudes of infertile couples to a multiple birth and to explore factors influencing couples' decisions about embryo transfer. Methods: Thirteen research articles were identified in the medical literature that examined women's choices concerning multiple IVF pregnancies. A cross-sectional survey was conducted at one centre for the treatment of infertility in the East Midlands, UK. Sixty-eight couples undergoing in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) with at least two embryos available for transfer were recruited to the study. Outcome measures were couples' ratings of factors influencing the number of embryos transferred. Results: Eight of the 13 studies found couples favouring a multiple birth to be in the majority. Most studies, however, had required hypothetical or retrospective judgments. In the present survey no patient had chosen single embryo transfer (SET), 56 (76%) had had 2 embryos transferred and 16 (24%) had 3 embryos transferred. Patients strongly perceived that SET would reduce the chances of having a child. Only 13 women (19.1%) considered that a desire for twins had influenced their decision. Of more importance was the desire to increase the chance of pregnancy (92.7%), the medical advice received (91%) and a desire to avoid further treatment (57.3%). The majority of couples found the decision regarding embryo transfer easy but a third would have liked more information. Participants with children were less likely to report a desire for twins (p
Original language | English |
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Pages (from-to) | 43-48 |
Number of pages | 6 |
Journal | Current Women's Health Reviews |
Volume | 3 |
Issue number | 1 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - 2007 |
Bibliographical note
cited By 4Keywords
- attitude to pregnancy
- consultation
- demography
- embryo transfer
- female
- fertilization in vitro
- health survey
- human
- infertility therapy
- medical decision making
- medical literature
- multiple pregnancy
- outcomes research
- physician
- prevalence
- priority journal
- questionnaire
- retrospective study
- review
- twins
- United Kingdom