Abstract
Transfer of multiple embryos for IVF was an early and important advance to improve procedure effectiveness. Along with the increase in live birth rate, this advance resulted in a three-decade long battle to counteract high rates of multiple delivery that have accompanied multiple embryo transfer. This review chronicles the history of the struggle in the USA to reduce the number of embryos transferred and the multiple births that resulted from this practice while continuing to strive for high live birth delivery rates in young as well as older patients. The positive and negative influences of law, professional guidelines, inadequate medical insurance and patient preference are discussed. Recent reporting strategies and technical advances in embryo selection that can help us achieve single embryo transfer are reviewed.
Financial & competing interests disclosure
The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.
No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.
