1 out of 4 women have twins after fertility treatment

You basically hit two birds with one stone, laughs Mohamad Al Kalyoubi, Gynaecologist at the Dubai Gynaecology & Fertility Center in Dubai. He refers to the possibility of delivering twins, triplets or even a higher number of babies when pregnancy is stimulated by fertility treatment.

Globally, 25 per cent of pregnancies induced by fertility treatment results in multiple pregnancies, the doctor explains. Based on his own experience, he thinks that the UAE is not different in this.

“The chance of developing multiple pregnancies in a natural way is significantly less than when getting pregnant through fertility treatment. Basically, any kind of fertility treatment carries the risk of multiple pregnancies,” he comments.

There are various ways of inducing pregnancy, and each treatment carries its own risks of a multiple pregnancy. One of the most straightforward methods is in vitro fertilization (IVF).

IVF is a method of assisted reproduction in which the husband’s sperm and the wife’s eggs are combined together in the laboratory. When fertilization occurs, selected resulting embryos are transferred to the uterus for potential implantation.

Here, it is up to the couple how many embryos are transferred to the uterus, explained Al Kalyoubi. “In the UAE, a woman younger than 35 years old may have a maximum of 3 embryos transferred, and a woman older than 35 years old may go up to 4 embryos.”

The more embryos are transferred, the higher is the risk of a multiple pregnancy. But of course, the chance of getting pregnant also increases, he points out.

Another method of reproduction stimulation is the intake of certain drugs, such as the fertility drug called Clomid. “Clomid enhances ovulation but at the same time increases the eggs that are released. You can develop a multiple pregnancy from just taking Clomid.”

In some cases women get these drugs over the counter, knows Al Kalyoubi. “A doctor may have prescribed it to a friend. They hear about it and are able to get it over the counter at the pharmacy, without having seen a doctor.”

However, in a normal case, a couple would visit the dedicated centre, where an evaluation can be made to diagnose the reason of the inability to get pregnant. Here, the doctor will talk the couple through the risks involved, and the consequences of a multiple pregnancy.

“Multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets or more) are very high-risk pregnancies where the risks are evident for both mother and babies. The risks rise as the number of babies increases. Mothers are at higher risk for almost all pregnancy-related complications e.g. pre-eclampsia, haemorrhages, gestational diabetes and even maternal death,” explains Leanne Bricker, Chair of Fetal Medicine at the Corniche Hospital in Abu Dhabi.

“During pregnancy there is a higher rate of pregnancy loss and the babies are at increased risk of being born prematurely. Its consequences include congenital abnormalities and other short- and long-term complications including cerebral palsy, respiratory disease, as well as death.”

According to Al Kalyoubi, it is important to create awareness about having more than one baby at the same time too. “It means breastfeeding two, dressing two, going through the homework with two. It is important for mothers to be aware of this, because they usually face most of the tasks.”

Nevertheless, when facing a choice between having more than one baby at the same time or no baby at all, the decision is easily made for most people, the doctor knows. “I estimate that around 80 per cent of the couples we see do not mind having twins. Fertility treatment is a costly procedure, so they don’t mind hitting two birds with the same stone,” he quips.

“I can tell you what the risks are, and what it means to have a multiple pregnancy. But it is your right to choose in the end.”

(Home page image courtesy Shutterstock)

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