Most Embryos Produced During IVF Do Not Result In Live Births

Published in the August issue of Fertility and Sterility, the studyreviewed seven years of U.S. statistics from all the fertility clinicsthat report data on reproductive techniques. Director of the YaleFertility Center, Pasquale Patrizio, M.D., professor in the Departmentof Obstetrics, Gynecology & Reproductive Sciences led the project.

"Something in nature has decided that these implanted embryosare not viable," said Patrizio, who conducted the study with co-authorGeorge Kovalevsky, M.D.

"We as practitioners in the reproductive clinic are in aparadoxical situation," Patrizio added. "There is pressure to reducemultiple births, but we need to do so knowing that the majority of theembryos that are transferred do not implant. It is difficult to strikea balance between these two needs."

Patrizio said he and his fellow physicians strive to betteridentify the embryos with the most potential. But addressing thegrowing pressure to transfer fewer embryos to reduce multiple births isa difficult task unless they can come up with a method in the lab toidentify the best embryos.

"Some potential methods for screening embryos include usingpre-implantation genetic diagnosis and biochemical markers of embryoviability," said Patrizio. "In addition this study should also move thefield toward perfecting methods of egg production."

Citation: Fertility and Sterility, Vol. 84, No. 2, 325-530 (August 2005).