London, June 11 (ANI): According to a new research that studied hazardous multiple births, women undergoing IVF (In vitro fertilization) could be treated with single embryo without reducing their chances of having a child.

The researchers found that moving one embryo at a time to the womb can marginally raise success rates.

The study, led by Yacoub Khalaf, of Guy’s Hospital, London, may increase pressure on fertility clinics to adopt similar methods to reduce multiple births.

The program at Guy’s has shown that one embryo can be transferred successfully in women under 35 who generate at least four good-quality embryos.

In the study, that analyzed patients under 35: the procedure raised chances from 35 per cent to 41 per cent.

Multiple pregnancy rates decreased by almost half the percentage, from 37 to 19 per cent.

The high success rate with single embryos was made possible by keeping embryos in culture for five days, rather than the practiced three days, before its transfer to the womb.

The extra time makes the embryos to become blastocysts, which are more possible to be implanted. The balls of 100 cells also make it easier for embryologists to assess for quality.

Since not every embryo will develop into a blastocyst, it is not appropriate for every woman to have a blastocyst transfer,.

It is advisable only for those who generate plenty of embryos

According to Mr Khalaf, multiple birth problem can be countered without hampering the chances of the patient to start a family.

“It is a myth that single embryo transfer has to lower the success rate,” he said. “If you select the right patients, and use blastocyst transfer, it can be just as good. We believe firmly that a twin pregnancy is not an ideal outcome. People think it is two for the price of one, but the risks are real and we see heartache time after time. I would encourage every clinic to look at our results, ” Timesonline quoted him, as saying (ANI)