Nonselective embryo reduction: ethical guidance for the obstetrician-gynecologist. Number 215, April 1999 (replaces number 94, April 1991). Committee on Ethics.
Although physicians may choose not to participate in nonselective embryo reduction, they should be knowledgeable about this procedure and be prepared to react in a professional and ethical manner to patient requests for information or services or both. The first approach to the problem of multiple gestation should be prevention. Although embryo reduction will be ethically acceptable to many as a response to an unforeseen and unavoidable contingency, in almost all cases it is preferable to terminate a cycle or limit the number of embryos to be transferred in order to prevent a situation in which the patient and physician need to consider an embryo reduction. Counseling for treatment of infertility should include the risks of multiple gestation, and the ethical issues surrounding embryo reduction should be discussed with patients before the initiation of any treatment that could increase the risk of multiembryo pregnancy.
D004992:Ethics, Medical; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D009774:Obstetrics; D011247:Pregnancy; D018607:Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal; D014481:United States