More IVF babies but fewer multiple births

More women are using IVF to concieve but the multiple delivery rate has fallen.
The number of twins and triplet births resulting from assisted reproductive technology (ART) has fallen, but more women than ever are using the procedure to have children.

A report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare report shows the number of ART procedures in the past five years has risen on average by 10 per cent annually.

Just over 3 per cent of babies born in Australia are a result of ART.

But the multiple delivery rate has fallen from almost 19 per cent in 2003 to 10 per cent in 2007.

The trend has been linked to an increase in the proportion of single-embryo transfers, up from 32 per cent in 2003 to 64 per cent in 2007.

The president of the Australian Fertility Society, Professor Peter Illingworth, says improving technology means the complications associated with IVF are decreasing.

"Running at a multiple pregnancy rate of only 10 per cent is one of the lowest possible pregnancy rates in the world from IVF," Professor Illingworth said.

"It means that the biggest complication which many people associate with fertility treatment, that of multiple pregnancies, is gradually disappearing.

"While most of the children who are conceived as twins have a healthy outcome, it is nonetheless the case that the risk of complications such as low birth weight and premature delivery are much higher in twin pregnancies than they are in a singleton pregnancy."

(Edit:Ruby)