ivf babies

Having a baby is bliss and having twins can be rightly proclaimed as ‘double bliss’. IVF (In-vitro Fertilization) is the process of assisting people with complex fertility issues or genetic issues or those who wish to have a family beyond 40 years of age.

This medical development is a blessing in more than ways and has benefitted hundreds of thousands of couples to plan a family.

The process of IVF implies the mature eggs are collected from the ovaries and fertilized with sperm outside the female womb under controlled clinical conditions. The fertilized eggs or embryos are then transferred to the uterus. This is a process of about three weeks where there are chances of having twins or more babies.

 

What are the Chances of Multiple Pregnancies?

Studies have proved that women who give birth with IVF have chances of multiple pregnancies at a higher rate than women who conceive naturally. While natural conception may tantamount to 2% chances of twin pregnancies, the same is more than 40% in the case of IVF pregnancies. In fact, it is estimated that one out of five IVF pregnancies may result in twins.

More than one embryo is transferred at one time in the IVF cycle. Dr. Shivani Bhutani, leading gynecologist and infertility expert of Punjab says that embryos have chromosomal abnormalities which may make them unviable. So the fertility experts transfer multiple embryos to increase the chances of a successful pregnancy.

Even if the doctor implants one embryo, the chances are the embryo splits into two zygotes (called monozygotic) or there may be two eggs (called dizygotic) where two or more than two embryos are planted in the uterus.

What are the Reasons for Opting for Twin Pregnancies?

One IVF cycle is the process of about three weeks. Due to several reasons patients are opting for IVF multiple pregnancies because of the following reasons:

• Age of the Patient

Patients at higher age are at higher risk of infertility. To safely attain pregnancy at the earliest, the doctor may have to transfer more than one embryo to the womb.

• A Complete Family

The patient may opt for twins to get the pleasure of a complete family of two children in one IVF cycle.

• IVF Cost

Sometimes the patient feels that the cost of having two babies would double. So they prefer to opt for twins to get the benefit of ‘two children at the price of one. This would prevent the costs of new IVF cycles for the second pregnancy.

• Strong Desire to have Twins

Some patients opt for IVF to be blessed by twins. It is their dream to raise two kids together so that the kids can play and grow up together.

Your body type, family history, age, and previous pregnancy record are a measure of success in twin pregnancy in IVF. IVF is a blessing in more than one way and the fact that twin births are possible is an additional benefit.

 

Are there any Risks with Multiple Pregnancies?

There may be risks attached to multiple pregnancies. The following can be risks to both the mother and the child:

• Premature Birth/ Low Weight Birth/Fetal Demise

The birth of the twins can be challenging. More than 50% of twins are born prematurely and sometimes the complications in delivery may lead to the fatal demise. At times low weight babies are born, e.g., twins born before 32 weeks can be around1.6 kg in weight.

• Preeclampsia

A deadly combination of high blood pressure, swelling in the body and increased protein in the urine are all a part of the risks of twin pregnancy.

• Gestational Diabetes

This is the type of diabetes developed during pregnancy and can cause difficulties during vaginal birth in terms of breathlessness in the mother and seizures and jaundice in babies.

• High rate of Caesarian Birth

Twin pregnancy calls for a caesarian section in most cases. C-section takes a longer recovery time than a vaginal birth and the chances of hemorrhaging during delivery are also higher.

 

How can you Minimize Risks during Multiple Pregnancy?

Now the technology has made it easier to identify and transfer a high-quality embryo for a better success rate. You may choose to transfer a single embryo and freeze the rest embryos for future cycles.

The Embryo-scope is a special incubator where you can choose the healthiest embryo for transfer. This is called time-lapse photography. The best chances of healthiest pregnancy can be assured with the machine-learning algorithms pointing to crucial timings such as cell splitting which can judge the positive or negative outcomes.

The poor quality embryo can cause the pregnancy to be hampered at the cost of healthy embryos. So Dr.Bhutani insists on selecting the embryos of the highest quality for her patients.

Last Words

Like no two pregnancies are the same, similarly, no two IVF cycles are the same. There is no ‘one-suits-all’ strategy and let the doctor decide on a single transfer vs. the multiple transfers to ensure a healthy pregnancy. The best infertility doctor in Punjab, Dr. Shivani Bhutani, EVA Hospital specializes in taking the utmost care of her patients in case of multiple pregnancies and closely monitors the early pregnancy to delivery with proficiency and dexterity. Contact her for a healthy pregnancy, healthy mother, and healthy babies.