For many years, In Vitro Fertilisation [primarily known as IVF] has been a beacon of hope and has helped millions of couples fulfil their dreams of being parents. This assistive method of reproduction has a fascinating and surprising side to it, which is its strong likelihood of twin pregnancy.
The chances of conceiving twins in a normal couple are quite slim, but these chances significantly increase with the use of IVF. This article examines the mystery of why IVF results in twins and provides an expert analysis of the science behind the world of fertility and technology.
Exploring the Mystery of IVF and Twin Pregnancy
IVF is a fertility treatment where eggs are retrieved from the ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory, which are then transferred into the uterus after development, where they hopefully implant into the uterine wall and result in pregnancy. The goal of IVF is to achieve a healthy pregnancy, which is why clinics will often transfer multiple embryos to increase chances, and this is one of the reasons why twin pregnancies occur.
Reasons Why IVF Increases the Chances of Twin Pregnancies
Here are key IVF expert insights provided on why IVF often produces twin pregnancies.
- Multiple Embryo Transfer: As mentioned earlier, multiple transfer of embryos is the major factor behind IVF twins. Due to the procedure being emotionally taxing and expensive, fertility experts would transfer multiple embryos to increase the chances of implantation and when more than one implants, it results in multiple pregnancies, such as twins or triplets.
- Higher Success Rate with Hormonal Stimulation: Natural conception has a lower rate of multiple pregnancies, but IVF involves advanced techniques such as hormonal stimulation, which quickens ovulation, increases the number of eggs released and enhances uterine receptivity, increasing the chances for implantation of multiple embryos. The uterus, due to the hormone treatment, may still be in a hyper state, which increases the possibility of identical twinning even in a single embryo transfer.
- Maternal Age and Ovarian Reserve: This factor affects Twin Pregnancy IVF as women under 35 have a higher ovarian reserve, which increases the possibility of twins due to more eggs available for fertilisation.
- Embryo Quality and Transfer: The embryo’s state and quality affect the implantation and division of the eggs. The frozen embryos are prone to division and have a higher chance of splitting, which leads to having identical twins.
Single Embryo Transfer (SET)
The transfer of a single, high-quality embryo significantly reduces the chances and risks of multiple pregnancies. SET is the recommended choice of IVF to reduce the chances of twins and the risk of multiple pregnancies and maintain high implantation Success rates. Embryo selection techniques easily identify the healthiest embryo, which rules out the need for multiple transfers.
IVF and twins was a term that was closely linked before the advent of single embryo transfer. The term is slowly fading away with modern fertility practices and the reduced risk of multiple pregnancies.
Potential Risks of Multiple Pregnancies
While multiple pregnancies can be a blessing, they also come with their own set of risks for the mother and baby, which include:
- Premature Birth: Multiple Pregnancies often carry the risk of pre-term birth for the babies, which could lead to health complications.
- Gestational Diabetes: The conception of twins or more multiples leads to mothers having the risk of developing diabetes.
- Low Birth Weight: Multiple Pregnancies often cannot receive sufficient nutrients which leads to a low birth weight among all or a few babies.
- Preeclampsia: A condition that causes high blood pressure.
- Cesarean Section: Many multiple pregnancies require surgical help in delivering the babies due to complications which may arise.
Situations Where Twin Pregnancy with IVF is Allowed
There are a few reasons why fertility clinics would allow treatment which increases the chances of multiple pregnancies, which include:
- Where the patient has experienced multiple failed IVF treatments.
- If the embryos are of lower quality, multiple transfers will be made to ensure implantation.
- If the patient is over the age of 38 and has a lower chance of pregnancy.
Final Thoughts
IVF has often been taken to mean automatically the mother will have twins, but with improving technology and advanced techniques, the possibility of twin pregnancies is becoming less common. Talk with an IVF expert and ask about the best approach to create a specialised and personal plan for you. If you are ready to embark on this journey, ensure to connect with 9M Fertility Centre to address all relevant queries.
