IVF Study Shows One Embryo is Best

Australian researchers have discovered that the rate of perinatal deaths in IVF (in vitro fertilisation) can be considerably reduced when only one embryo is used in the fertility treatment.

Researchers at the University of NSW say Australia is leading the world in single embryo IVF transfers and they are using a conference in Istanbul to get the message out to the rest of the world.

They studied the records of more than 50,000 women from Australia and New Zealand between 2004 and 2008 and found the risk of an IVF baby being stillborn or dying within the first month of life was 53 per cent higher when two embryos were implanted instead of one.

Dr Michael Chapman from the NSW University School of Women's and Children's Health says Australia established the ideal of single embryo transfer in its code of practice seven years ago.

"Because we have a database which includes all cycles ever done in Australia, we can look back and see those outcomes and that's the decision around the table of all the IVF directors," he said.

Dr...