The reasons for elective single embryo transfer

When you see Octomom on TV, you obviously know you’d never elect to transfer eight or more embryos in an IVF cycle. But what about two, three or even four? When you emotionally, physically and financially invest in IVF, you want the highest chances for conceiving a baby. At Texas Fertility Center, we educate our prospective parents about the positive results we are seeing with elective single embryo transfer, or eSET.

Our governing organization, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine, has this to say regarding eSET. For patients under 35 with a favorable prognosis, consideration should be given to transferring 1 and no more than 2 embryos.

Why does TFC support elective single embryo transfer?

Advanced reproductive technologies empower our IVF lab to scrutinize each embryo prior to transfer. We have more information than ever before to predict which embryo is most likely to develop and grow throughout pregnancy.

Our pioneering research into elective single embryo transfer showed the tremendous benefits of this treatment – marked reduction in the incidence of twins without a significant reduction in the likelihood of pregnancy in young women with two or more high quality Day 5 embryos.

Single births are better for mom and baby.

Embryo freezing has shown so much promise, that we are actually looking for reasons to freeze. Read more in a recent Texas Fertility Center press release about frozen embryo transfer (FET). This option reassures patients that a second embryo transfer is both affordable and statistically promising.

Only the highest quality IVF programs are offering elective single embryo transfer.

Know the risks for multiples

As you know, multiples, including twins and triplets, are at risk for premature birth, and a host of health concerns. Mothers who carry multiples are susceptible to pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes and pre-term labor. Your fertility specialist wants to give you the facts, and the power to choose eSET for singleton IVF.

More than 82 percent of educated couples support having elective single embryo transfer after knowing the facts about pregnancy success rates.* If you are considering IVF, ask us about the pros and cons of single embryo transfer. Contact us to learn more.