AMERICAN INFERTILITY ASSOCIATION SUPPORTS NEW
GUIDELINES TO HELP REDUCE MULTIPLE BIRTHS

New York, NY - On Wednesday, November 17, the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) will publish the results of a new study that compares "live-birth rates and multiple-birth risk using in vitro fertilization (IVF)."

Multiple births continue to be a significant complication of IVF and other infertility treatments. This JAMA study shows that for women younger than 35 years of age, limiting the number of embryos transferred to two did not decrease the chances of achieving a live birth. However, the multiple-birth risk was halved and the risk for triplet and high-order multiples was virtually eliminated.

According to Pamela Madsen, executive director of the American Infertility Association (AIA) and a well-known infertility patient advocate: "Because most infertility patients are often paying out-of-pocket for treatment, there has always been an incentive to transfer multiple embryos to increase their chances of success. These new findings show that these kinds of risks to the patient are no longer necessary. Not only will the incidence of multiple births be reduced, but so will the overall cost of infertility treatment. This information should encourage more insurance companies to cover infertility treatment," said Ms. Madsen.

The American Infertility Association, headquartered in New York City, is an independent national nonprofit organization dedicated to assisting women and men facing decisions related to family building and reproductive health - from prevention and treatment to social and psychological concerns - and to forward these causes through advocacy, education, awareness building and research funding. The mission of the AIA is to serve as a lifetime resource for men and women needing reproductive information and support.

The AIA is a national nonprofit education and advocacy organization for individuals seeking information about infertility, adoption and reproductive disease.