Health
New fertility guidelines given
NEWS IN BRIEF — Posted Nov. 13, 2006
New guidelines developed by the American Society of Reproductive Medicine and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology call for a limited number of embryos to be transferred during in-vitro fertilization procedures. The number should be individualized according to each woman's age and the condition of the embryo, according to the guidelines.
The new document, published in the November Fertility and Sterility, was praised by the March of Dimes for the likelihood that it would result in fewer preterm births and other complications for mother or fetus. More than one-third of pregnancies conceived using assisted reproductive therapies result in a multiple birth.
"New parents may think there's more to love when you have more than one baby, but there's also more to worry about; more than half of twins and nearly all of triplets are born prematurely, associated with increased risk of death and disability," said Nancy Green, MD, March of Dimes medical director.
Note: This item originally appeared at http://www.ama-assn.org/amednews/2006/11/13/hlbf1113.htm.
