Fertility experts want a cut in the number of twins born after IVF treatment.
IVF clinics in the UK will be expected to reduce the number of multiple births from a national average of one in four to 10% over the next three years. This will mean increasing the proportion of women who have just one single embryo transferred back into their womb. Multiple births are more dangerous for the mother and babies due to health problems during pregnancy including miscarriage and a higher chance of premature birth.
Dr Mark Hamilton, chair of the British Fertility Society, who was one of the experts involved in drawing up the guidelines, said NHS funding for IVF was "very patchy" and that it was 'imperative' that funding issues around IVF were addressed.
The National Institute of Clinical and Health Excellence recommend women under the age of 40 receive three cycles of IVF on the NHS. But he said only 5% of health authorities in England offer three cycles with most only offering one cycle - a situation which leaves women feeling pressured to have more than one embryo implanted to maximise their chances of success. If patients did not have to worry about finding the money for their own treatment this would obviously be easier to implement.
Clinics will have to increase the number of single embryos they put back into women undergoing fertility treatment where appropriate - usually in younger women. And freezing of embryos should be made available to all patients - currently it is thought at least 30% of clinics do not offer this. Clinics should also work to increase the number of embryos they transfer at the blastocyst stage - day five to six - rather than at day two to three to improve the chances of success with a single embryo.
Jane Denton, director of the Multiple Birth Foundation, said for many couples who have struggled to conceive the prospect of twins is very appealing.
June 2008
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