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Embargoed until 00:01, Friday 13 May 2011 - Latest figures show multiple births continue to fall
New figures released today show that multiple births from IVF continue to fall. This follows the HFEA’s initiative to reduce multiple births – the single biggest risk of fertility treatment, and is supported by leading professional bodies in the sector.
It is well established that multiple births is the single biggest
risk to mothers and babies associated with fertility treatment. To
address this problem, the HFEA introduced a policy in 2007 to
promote single embryo transfer by instructing each UK clinic to
have a strategy to reduce their incidence of multiple births, in
line with a target set by the HFEA
The first HFEA multiple birth rate target was introduced in
2009/10 and was set at 24%. This was reduced to 20% in 2010/11. In
April of this year a new target of 15% was set for clinics to meet
by April 2012. Since January 2009, the proportion of single embryo
transfers has increased and the multiple pregnancy rate has fallen.
Single embryo transfer (eSET) is most appropriate for women
most likely to get pregnant, and therefore at most risk of a
multiple pregnancy – those aged under 37yrs old with several good
embryos available.
Since January 2008 (when we first started collecting data on
eSET) the proportion of elective single embryo transfer has
increased across the sector. In 2008, just 4.8% of embryo
transfers were single embryo transfer. In the first half of 2010,
this increased to 14.7%.
The most up to date results are for pregnancies and these
show that in the same period the number of multiple pregnancies
fell from 26.7% to 22.0% with the overall pregnancy rate
maintained at 31.3%.
Between 2008 and mid 2009, multiple
births fell from 23.6% of all IVF births to 22.0%
The latest
figures show that the biggest fall in multiple pregnancies is in
women under 35 years old. In this group, eSET has increased from
only 6.6% in 2008 to 22.1% by June 2010 and multiple pregnancies
have fallen from 31.2% to 23.9%.
The policy is part of a wider national strategy to reduce the
number of multiple births resulting from fertility treatment,
involving representatives from professional bodies, patient groups
and NHS-funding bodies. The ‘One at a Time’ website (www.oneatatime.org.uk)
provides clinics with the tools to change their clinical practice,
information to patients and aims to share best practice across the sector.
Prof Lisa Jardine, Chair of the HFEA said: 'It is
excellent news that the number of multiple births is coming down
whilst overall success rates for patients are still being
maintained. This shows that the policy is proving successful. We
have set a challenging target for the year ahead and will work
closely with the sector to help clinics to meet the target, and at
the same time retain patients’ confidence that their chance of
success will not be significantly reduced.'
Jane
Denton, Director of the Multiple Births Foundation said: ‘There is
no doubt that a multiple pregnancy creates risks for both mother
and babies. The good news is that the strategy is working and a
great strength is the collaboration and partnership between the
regulator, the clinics and the patients and professional organisations.’
Ends
Notes to editors
• The national strategy is supported by: Association of
Clinical Embryologists, British Fertility Society, Bliss, British
Infertility Counselling Association, Donor Conception Network,
Endometriosis UK, Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority,
Fertility Friends, Infertility Network UK, Miscarriage
Association, Multiple Births Foundation, National Gamete Donation
Trust, National Perinatal Epidemiology Unit, Royal College of
Nursing, Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, and
Surrogacy UK
* A recent study in Canada published in the Journal of
Pediatrics showed that nearly one in five babies admitted to the
neonatal intensive care unit at Montreal’s Royal Victoria Hospital
over a two year period were multiple births resulting from
artificial reproduction. According to their calculations, a
mandatory policy of single embryo transfer would lead to 840 fewer
babies admitted to intensive care and up to 42,488 fewer days of
intensive care.
http://download.journals.elsevierhealth.com/pdfs/journals/0022-3476/PIIS0022347611001806.pdf
* The HFEA is the independent regulator for IVF treatment and
embryo research. Our role is to protect patients and the public
interest, to drive improvement in the treatment and research
sectors and to provide information to the public and policymakers
about treatment and research.
* The HFEA was set up in August 1991 as part of the Human
Fertilisation and Embryology Act 1990. The HFEA’s principal tasks
are to license and monitor clinics that carry out in vitro
fertilisation (IVF), artificial insemination (AI) and human embryo
research. The HFEA also regulates the storage of gametes (eggs and
sperm) and embryos. See www.hfea.gov.uk for further details.
For further information please contact the HFEA press office on 020 7291 8226 or email press.office@hfea.gov.uk
Contacts:
HFEA Press Office
Phone: 020 7291 8226
press.office@hfea.gov.uk
Nick Spears
Phone: 020 7374 5384
nick.spears@hfea.gov.uk
