Hey there! Let’s talk about the importance of safe and healthy pregnancies. When it comes to fertility, it’s crucial to keep in mind that pregnancies involving multiple embryos can often come with higher risks for both moms and little ones. That’s why we’ve always been advocates for transferring just one embryo at a time—it’s all about ensuring that each pregnancy is as healthy as possible.
Back in 2006, we embraced a cool technology called vitrification, which is a super effective way to freeze embryos for later use. This method allows us to safely store embryos, so patients can confidently transfer just one, knowing they have others ready if needed. Before this, the slow freeze technique wasn’t as reliable, leading many to transfer multiple embryos just to play it safe.
Another game-changer has been the widespread use of chromosome screening. This allows us to only transfer embryos with the right number of chromosomes, reducing the likelihood of multiple births. For instance, if a patient is 38 years old, about half of their embryos may have chromosomal abnormalities. With testing, we can skip the old practice of transferring two embryos, which often resulted in twins or even triplets.
Thanks to these innovative strategies, we haven’t seen any triplet pregnancies in the last three years! Here’s a quick look at our fresh and frozen embryo transfers:
- For fresh transfers, we usually transfer:
- 1 embryo: 64%
- 2 embryos: 25%
- More than 2 embryos: less than 10%
- In our frozen transfers:
- 91% were single embryo transfers (SETs)
- 9% were double embryo transfers (DETs)
- A whopping 65% of frozen transfers were elective SETs, meaning patients chose to thaw and transfer only one embryo.
At the end of the day, our goal is to build healthy families, one baby at a time. These stats show we’re doing just that! If you want to dive deeper into fertility topics, check out our post on the recent recall of organic carrots due to E. coli concerns. And if you’re looking into artificial insemination options, make sure to explore this great resource on at-home insemination kits.
In summary, by focusing on single embryo transfers and employing advanced screening techniques, we’re making strides toward healthier pregnancies.