News about IVF and multiple pregnancy
News for IVF patients worried about multiple gestation. eSET, the newest IVF procedure allows for an elective Single Embryo Transfer thereby increasing the chances for a healthy pregnancy as well as reducing the likelihood of twins or more.
(PRWEB) June 15, 2004
Studies confirm single-embryo transfer is as successful as multiple transfer, while dramatically reducing rate of multiple gestation for IVF patients.
The Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine in Norwalk, CT. For many couples, the emotional and physical difficulties of infertility are compounded by fear when the subject of In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF) comes up. “Many patients are afraid of the potential for a multiple gestation, and even twins are a concern for some,” explains Dr. Mark Leondires, medical director at The Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine and an expert in reproductive endocrinology and fertility. But a new IVF procedure called elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET) is quelling those fears.
Recent research involving eSET indicates that the procedure is on the leading edge in reducing multiple gestations. According to Dr. Leondires, the first part of the treatment remains the same. After the eggs are harvested and fertilized, however, the physician can use a certain set of criteria to identify the single strongest embryo for implantation. “Many patients and practitioners alike believed that the more embryos we transferred, the better our chances for pregnancy would be,” Dr. Leondires notes. “Yet, studies show that with modern embryology culture systems, the success rate of eSET is comparable to that of the standard protocol in select patients.”
In fact, in a randomized trial of 48 women undergoing IVF treatment at the Colorado Center for Reproductive Medicine in Englewood, CO, the patients who received a Single Embryo Transfer had an implantation and ongoing pregnancy rate of 60.9%, with no twinning. Those who received dual embryo transfers had an implantation rate of 56%, and a slightly higher ongoing pregnancy rate of 76%. However, that group also had a 47.4% incidence of twins. The study was published in the March, 2004 issue of Fertility & Sterility.
Dr. Leondires stresses the need to increase awareness of the dangers of multiple gestation and to reduce their occurrence, noting that fertility drugs and Intra-Uterine Insemination (IUI) are also leading culprits in the increased rate of multiple gestations. In a Danish study published in the April 2001 issue of the journal “Obstetrics & Gynecology Scandinavia,” more than 20% of the nearly 1,200 successful IUI cycles they researched resulted in a multiple gestation.
“Multiple gestation can cause multiple complications in pregnancy,” confirms Dr. Leondires. In addition to an increased rate of miscarriage, multiple gestations result in additional risks for the mother during pregnancy and delivery, and often lead to premature delivery. Babies born from multiple gestations are more likely to need intensive care and have long-term health problems than their singleton counterparts, too. And the sometimes-stressful adjustment period between babies, their parents and other family members can be more difficult with multiples than with single births.
Of course, many couples struggling with infertility have considered these risks worth taking in order to achieve a pregnancy. According to Dr. Leondires, fertility specialists can now offer patients the possibility of reaching that goal, while actually reducing the risks. “With assisted reproductive technology, our primary goal has always been to achieve a healthy pregnancy,” Dr. Leondires explains. “But we are also concerned with the health and long-term well-being of the mother, the child and the family. Elective Single Embryo Transfer (eSET) is an advance that will allow fertility specialists to better balance those goals.”
Bio:
Dr. Mark P. Leondires, M. D., FACOG, is a leading authority on reproductive medicine. Dr. Leondires is board certified in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility. He is a member of the Society of Reproductive Endocrinologists, the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology, and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine. Dr. Leondires earned his medical degree from the University of Vermont College of Medicine and completed his residency in Obstetrics and Gynecology at Maine Medical Center in Portland, Maine. Dr. Leondires completed a fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. After completion of his training, he fulfilled his military obligation by serving as the ART Director for the largest and most successful program in the military health care system at Walter Reed Army Medical Center. During this time he was an Assistant Professor at the Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences and clinical faculty for the Combined Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology. Dr. Leondires is currently Medical Director and lead physician with The Center for Advanced Reproductive Medicine in Norwalk CT. Along with numerous teaching and research activities, Dr. Leondires has published articles in professional medical journals, national consumer magazines and newspapers, as well as abstracts and book chapters.
Contact: Melissa Chefec, MCPR, 203-968-6625
