Single embryo transfer in IVF?
When I went through IVF, I transferred three embryos the first time, two the second (that is all I had) and three the last time. At one point I thought I might have four embryo's and asked to transfer the fourth but was told that because of my age (28 at the time) they wouldn't let me. I know from becoming friends with someone doing IVF in the UK, they have more limits on the number of embryo's you can transfer. BBC News in the UK published the article, IVF technique 'cuts twin births' in February. They talk about cutting the number of embryo's transferred down in younger women who have a higher chance of success. When they do so, they would wait until the 5 days after the embryo is conceived which is when it would be a Blastocyst.
Yes, embryo's that reach the Blastocyst stage are usually better quality and have a better chance at survival. But from what I had learned going through IVF waiting is not always the best way to go. My clinic always did the embryo transfer three days after the embryo was conceived. Their philosophy was the embryos that had the potential to be live births would do better in their natural environment (i.e. the womb) than they would in a petri dish. Waiting can do harm to some embryos that would otherwise have a chance if transferred earlier.
I understand the need to reduce the instance of multiple births. No one wants their babies born early only to have a hard time surviving and spending weeks or months in the hospital. But I know from personal experience, I never would have felt comfortable only transferring one embryo. Especially with the high cost of IVF - financially, physically and emotionally.
Yes, embryo's that reach the Blastocyst stage are usually better quality and have a better chance at survival. But from what I had learned going through IVF waiting is not always the best way to go. My clinic always did the embryo transfer three days after the embryo was conceived. Their philosophy was the embryos that had the potential to be live births would do better in their natural environment (i.e. the womb) than they would in a petri dish. Waiting can do harm to some embryos that would otherwise have a chance if transferred earlier.
I understand the need to reduce the instance of multiple births. No one wants their babies born early only to have a hard time surviving and spending weeks or months in the hospital. But I know from personal experience, I never would have felt comfortable only transferring one embryo. Especially with the high cost of IVF - financially, physically and emotionally.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Jody Simpson on -
This is a very interesting idea for IVF procedures, single embryo transfer with mild stimulation. Here is the summary for the study published in The Lancet. It seems to me like an excellent opportunity for insurance companies to set up some sort of single embryo transfer only insurance coverage. It's sort of an insurance plan for the insurance companies. They offer single embryo transfer coverage and end up not paying the high costs associated with multiple and premature births.
My biggest fear during IVF was being pregnant with multiples. That being said, I still had 3 embryos transferred. Our insurance coverage at the time didn't include benefits for IVF, and we figured it was best to transfer as many embryos as recommended by our physician. However, if we were offered insurance coverage for a single embryo transfer only, I'm sure we would have tried it. Seems like a win-win situation to me!
-
Permalink Reply by Sue on -
I agree with you on the risk of multiple births, but like you i had 3 transferred. I wanted not only my biggest chance at pregnancy, but the biggest "bang for my buck".
I don't support mandated insurance coverage, but if it were offered, I do feel the pressure would be off for multiple embryo transfers - at least the financial pressure. I just don't like the idea of it being forced on us by the government or insurance companies. I'd like to see it offered but the decision still being with the doctor and patient.
-
Permalink Reply by Jody Simpson on
-
I was thinking of it being more of an added bonus and not any type of mandated coverage. A take it if you want type thing. I'd like to see more insurance companies offering some IVF coverage to help with the costs. In this case, anything is better than nothing at all.
-
Permalink Reply by Sue on
-
I completely agree with you. We were actually very lucky and had insurance coverage for everything BUT IVF. Our meds were covered as well, which was a total of $6,000 per cycle for us. I was very grateful for the amount of coverage we had. I think doctors would be on board with it too - I know they don't want multiple births either. Their goal is healthy singleton births.
Mandated coverage is very often a mixed bag. I am in New Jersey which does mandate IVF coverage (and it mandates 4 retrievals - which is a lot). But both my husband and I worked for large corporations at the time which self-insured so they were exempt. Now my husband works for a small employer with less than 50 employees, so he would be exempt as well.
I would love if we had more choices and could add riders to our own policies to cover infertility or for other similar things. You'd pay a little more, but when you're past that point, you could drop it.
-
Permalink Reply by Finally_a_Mom on -
Hi wondering did you get a positive? i would never feel comfortable tranferring one embie either, no way!
-
Permalink Reply by Jody Simpson on
-
I didn't end up getting pregnant when we transferred three embryos. Three was the limit for the clinic. Speaking of embryo transfers, how about the lady from California who had 6 embryos transferred! I can't believe a doctor would ever transfer that many embryos at once, especially in a young, healthy woman.
It's way too much of a health risk to the woman, not to mention the health concerns to the babies being born prematurely. He should be held accountable for his actions. It seems like he was more concerned about getting a successful IVF outcome than the health of the patient. Time to close up shop for that doctor, or just bill him for the hospital stay for all eight babies. Maybe next time he'll think more about healthy outcomes than high success rates.
BTW, finally a mom, how did things turn out for you?
© 2009 Created by Marie
