Doctors assess health risks of multiple births from IVF
ELEANOR HALL: Australia's leading fertility specialists are meeting in Melbourne today to consider reducing the rate of high-risk multiple births arising from IVF treatment.
About 20 per cent of IVF births are multiple births. Not only can such pregnancies be more dangerous for the mother, but twins and triplets are also more likely to be born prematurely with all the associated health problems.
But many couples using IVF are prepared to accept the risks of having more than one embryo transferred in order to maximise their chances of having children.
In Melbourne, Lynn Bell reports.
LYNN BELL: Kellie Boyce and her husband Craig had nine attempts at IVF, over five years before having their first son Jesse.
Then, after two more attempts, Kellie Boyce became pregnant with twins.
KELLIE BOYCE: You're told from the outset it's a high-risk pregnancy, which is… I mean, for most people I think when they're pregnant they're very scared for their pregnancy and for their baby for, you know, a million different reasons.
With IVF I think you're 10 times more terrified something will happen because it's been so hard to get pregnant.
LYNN BELL: She says after so many years of trying she was keen to have a number of embryos transferred during her IVF treatment.
KELLIE BOYCE: I would've let them put six in me. That's how… that's how irrational you can be, and I would never want to say that to someone doing IVF, because you don't like to be told that you're being irrational, but I… you know, in my secret thoughts I would've taken any amount that they would put in. So it really is up to the doctors to be responsible.
LYNN BELL: The Director of Melbourne IVF, Professor John McBain, says multiple births can present risks for the mother and the children, and for that reason Australian IVF clinics will no longer transfer more than two embryos during a cycle.
JOHN MCBAIN: Many of our patients come along hoping for a twin pregnancy because they've had so many years of having no children, and that seems an ideal outcome.
They're given some very frank information about the potential complications of twins, and then they will still either be as emphatic that they want two embryos transferred, or they will say I really don't want in any circumstances to be put at risk of having a twin pregnancy.
LYNN BELL: Professor McBain is one of the speakers at today's conference, on preventing multiple gestation in IVF.
JOHN MCBAIN: It's a timely thing to do, to look at what are the positives for patients and for the society of having single embryo transfer, and what are the positives for our patients for having double embryo transfer, because there are positives on each side and it's a matter of having an informed debate to find a balance.
LYNN BELL: Earlier this year, the Federal Government appointed an independent committee to look at the effectiveness of Assisted Reproductive Technology, and to review Medicare funding for IVF.
Professor David de Kretser, from the Monash Institute of Medical Research, will chair today's meeting, and he says it's important that the current policy continues.
DAVID DE KRETSER: It's the government policy that exists today of having no limitation on the number of cycles of stimulation and IVF that's used, and that is again a very positive thing.
And so I believe the conference will urge the Government to keep up that policy, and to remove financial pressures on the couple to transfer more embryos than are necessary.
ELEANOR HALL: And that's Professor David De Kretser from the Monash Institute of Medical Research, ending that report from Lynn Bell in Melbourne
About 20 per cent of IVF births are multiple births. Not only can such pregnancies be more dangerous for the mother, but twins and triplets are also more likely to be born prematurely with all the associated health problems.
But many couples using IVF are prepared to accept the risks of having more than one embryo transferred in order to maximise their chances of having children.
In Melbourne, Lynn Bell reports.
LYNN BELL: Kellie Boyce and her husband Craig had nine attempts at IVF, over five years before having their first son Jesse.
Then, after two more attempts, Kellie Boyce became pregnant with twins.
KELLIE BOYCE: You're told from the outset it's a high-risk pregnancy, which is… I mean, for most people I think when they're pregnant they're very scared for their pregnancy and for their baby for, you know, a million different reasons.
With IVF I think you're 10 times more terrified something will happen because it's been so hard to get pregnant.
LYNN BELL: She says after so many years of trying she was keen to have a number of embryos transferred during her IVF treatment.
KELLIE BOYCE: I would've let them put six in me. That's how… that's how irrational you can be, and I would never want to say that to someone doing IVF, because you don't like to be told that you're being irrational, but I… you know, in my secret thoughts I would've taken any amount that they would put in. So it really is up to the doctors to be responsible.
LYNN BELL: The Director of Melbourne IVF, Professor John McBain, says multiple births can present risks for the mother and the children, and for that reason Australian IVF clinics will no longer transfer more than two embryos during a cycle.
JOHN MCBAIN: Many of our patients come along hoping for a twin pregnancy because they've had so many years of having no children, and that seems an ideal outcome.
They're given some very frank information about the potential complications of twins, and then they will still either be as emphatic that they want two embryos transferred, or they will say I really don't want in any circumstances to be put at risk of having a twin pregnancy.
LYNN BELL: Professor McBain is one of the speakers at today's conference, on preventing multiple gestation in IVF.
JOHN MCBAIN: It's a timely thing to do, to look at what are the positives for patients and for the society of having single embryo transfer, and what are the positives for our patients for having double embryo transfer, because there are positives on each side and it's a matter of having an informed debate to find a balance.
LYNN BELL: Earlier this year, the Federal Government appointed an independent committee to look at the effectiveness of Assisted Reproductive Technology, and to review Medicare funding for IVF.
Professor David de Kretser, from the Monash Institute of Medical Research, will chair today's meeting, and he says it's important that the current policy continues.
DAVID DE KRETSER: It's the government policy that exists today of having no limitation on the number of cycles of stimulation and IVF that's used, and that is again a very positive thing.
And so I believe the conference will urge the Government to keep up that policy, and to remove financial pressures on the couple to transfer more embryos than are necessary.
ELEANOR HALL: And that's Professor David De Kretser from the Monash Institute of Medical Research, ending that report from Lynn Bell in Melbourne
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