title: IVF results: optimize not maximize.
abstract: The desire to improve in vitro fertilization (IVF) results has led clinicians to replace more than 1 embryo in the uterus. As a result, multiple births have increased over the last 2 decades to epidemic proportions, exposing the field of assisted conception to justified criticism. This review aims to ensure that physicians involved in the field of fertility treatment are aware of the risks and complications related to multiple pregnancies, and to explore possible strategies such as blastocyst culture, preimplantation genetic screening, and embryo cryopreservation, which can help to control and reverse the tide of multiple pregnancies without reducing the good success rate that modern IVF treatment enjoys. A brief overview of the respective UK legislative system is also presented.
authors.affiliation: Assisted Conception Unit, Guy's and St. Thomas' Hospital, NHS Trust, London, United Kingdom. tarekeltoukhy@hotmail.com
authors.forename: Tarek
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: El-Toukhy
authors.forename: Yacoub
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Khalaf
authors.forename: Peter
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Braude
mesh_terms: D015925:Cryopreservation; D046149:Embryo Culture Techniques; D004624:Embryo Transfer / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005192:Family Health; D005260:Female; D005307:Fertilization in Vitro / Q000331:legislation & jurisprudence; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011247:Pregnancy; D018607:Pregnancy Reduction, Multifetal; D011272:Pregnancy, Multiple / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D018570:Risk Assessment; D014310:Triplets; D014427:Twins; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology