Putting Too Many (Fertilized) Eggs in One Basket: Methods of Reducing Multifetal Pregnancies in the United States

Stephanie N. Sivinski
Vol. 88, Issue 4
Note appears in Issue 4
88 Texas L. Rev. 897 (2010)

In this Note, Sivinski discusses multifetal pregnancies caused by in vitro fertilization (IVF).  The American Society for Reproductive Medicine has promulgated voluntary guidelines suggesting how many embryos should be used based on the age of the female patient and other factors.  While some commentators have called for state or national legislation enforcing mandatory limitations, Sivinski suggests an alternative, nonlegislative approach.  Specifically, she suggests providing patients with better information about the risks of multifetal pregnancies, improving insurance coverage for IVF patients, and implementing the BESST (birth emphasizing successful singleton at term) standard for publication of clinic success rates.

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