Reducing multiple pregnancies after assisted reproduction treatment: Quebec says 'Yes, we can!'

TY - JOUR

T1 - Reducing multiple pregnancies after assisted reproduction treatment

T2 - Quebec says 'Yes, we can!'

AU - Khalaf, Yakoub

AU - Bewley, Susan

AU - Braude, Peter

PY - 2011/10

Y1 - 2011/10

N2 - Multiple pregnancy (MP) is widely recognized as the single biggest risk to children born as a result of assisted reproduction treatment. There is an emerging trend in Europe and Canada to promote single-embryo transfer (SET). In this issue, Gleicher argues that twin pregnancies should not be seen as an unfavourable outcome of assisted reproduction treatment. He argues that SET policies 'make no sense' since they will aggravate already unsatisfactory population growth in some countries. He also argues that governmental intervention to impose SET policies, despite proving successful in reducing MP, are inappropriate. The overwhelming evidence in the literature indicates that his opinion is not supported by credible data. Views should be based on solid data rather than personal judgement. Governmental interventions to reduce twin pregnancies, as demonstrated previously in Belgium and now in Quebec, have been successful. The risks of twin pregnancies are real and borne by women and children, not their doctors. Doctors managing infertile couples are no longer entitled to take risks with the health of the next generation.

AB - Multiple pregnancy (MP) is widely recognized as the single biggest risk to children born as a result of assisted reproduction treatment. There is an emerging trend in Europe and Canada to promote single-embryo transfer (SET). In this issue, Gleicher argues that twin pregnancies should not be seen as an unfavourable outcome of assisted reproduction treatment. He argues that SET policies 'make no sense' since they will aggravate already unsatisfactory population growth in some countries. He also argues that governmental intervention to impose SET policies, despite proving successful in reducing MP, are inappropriate. The overwhelming evidence in the literature indicates that his opinion is not supported by credible data. Views should be based on solid data rather than personal judgement. Governmental interventions to reduce twin pregnancies, as demonstrated previously in Belgium and now in Quebec, have been successful. The risks of twin pregnancies are real and borne by women and children, not their doctors. Doctors managing infertile couples are no longer entitled to take risks with the health of the next generation.

KW - multiple pregnancy

KW - single-embryo transfer

KW - twin pregnancy

KW - IN-VITRO FERTILIZATION

KW - SINGLE-EMBRYO-TRANSFER

KW - ELECTIVE SINGLE

KW - DESIRE

KW - PREFERENCES

KW - ATTITUDES

KW - BIRTHS

KW - RATES

U2 - 10.1016/j.rbmo.2011.05.019

DO - 10.1016/j.rbmo.2011.05.019

M3 - Editorial

SN - 1472-6483

VL - 23

SP - 407

EP - 410

JO - REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE

JF - REPRODUCTIVE BIOMEDICINE ONLINE

IS - 4

ER -