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Human Gametes and Preimplantation Embryos pp 1–7Cite as

Current Practices and Regulations for Embryo Transfer Worldwide: Implications on IVF Outcome

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Abstract

The practice of transferring multiple embryos in an in vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle has led to an iatrogenic epidemic of multiple pregnancies. IVF multiple pregnancies cause significant morbidity and mortality for both mothers and infants, and place a substantial financial burden on the couple and the society. While increasing awareness of these problems has led to a decrease in the average number of embryos transferred, multiple embryo transfer remains the norm in most countries and results in multiple pregnancy rates of 20–30 % worldwide. Recently, several countries have placed legal restrictions on the number of embryos transferred in return of government reimbursement for IVF. Such policy seems to dramatically decrease multiple pregnancies while maintaining pregnancy rates and increasing access to treatment. Better selection of gametes and implantation competent embryos will undoubtedly increase the adoption of elective single embryo transfers and further contribute to a decrease in IVF multiple pregnancies.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge Basak Balaban from the American Hospital, Istanbul, Turkey, Weon Young Son from McGill University Health Centre, Montreal, Quebec, David Mortimer from Oozoa, Vancouver, Canada, David Edgar from Melbourne IVF, Australia, Osamu Okitsu from Miyake Clinic, Japan, Soledad Sepulveda, Grup PRANOR, Peru. We are thankful for their kind help in providing essential information for this chapter.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Uludag University Hospital, Bursa, Republic of Turkey

    Baris Ata

  2. Department of Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Sciences, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven, CT, USA

    Emre Seli

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  1. Baris Ata
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Correspondence to Baris Ata .

Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. University of Melbourne, Department of Zoology, Royal Parade, Melbourne, 3010, Victoria, Australia

    David K. Gardner

  2. Boston IVF, Second Ave. 130, Waltham, 02451, Massachusetts, USA

    Denny Sakkas

  3. Yale School of Medicine, Dept. of Ob/Gyn & Reproductive Sciences, Cedar St. 333, New Haven, 06510, Connecticut, USA

    Emre Seli

  4. Obstetrics & Gynaecology, University of Oxford, Nuffield Department of, Garsington Road, Oxford, OX4 2HW, Oxfordshire, United Kingdom

    Dagan Wells

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Ata, B., Seli, E. (2013). Current Practices and Regulations for Embryo Transfer Worldwide: Implications on IVF Outcome. In: Gardner, D., Sakkas, D., Seli, E., Wells, D. (eds) Human Gametes and Preimplantation Embryos. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6651-2_1

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4614-6651-2_1

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  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4614-6651-2

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