ABSTRACT
It remains true today that the prima facie risk of A R T is the birth of
twins, triplets or more, despite recent efforts towards single embryo trans-
fer (SET) in the Scandinavian countries 1. Hopefully, the precedent set in
Scandinavia wi l l become more and more widespread via legislation and
ultimately, if that legislation does not work, particularly in countries where
'personal freedom is a maxim'. . . by litigation. In the chapter written by
Elizabeth Bryan and Jane Denton there is a depressing series of facts con-
cerning the risks to twins and particularly to triplets, whether or not they
are born after A R T per se. This chapter should be heeded especially by the
fertility specialist reader or any parent who reads this book who is deceived
by the false logic that replacing more than one embryo wi l l somehow
increase the overall pregnancy rate. There are a number of trials ongoing
which wi l l further clarify this issue (which one accepts is not absolutely
black and white for elderly mothers). Caution should be conveyed to any
parent considering exposing themselves to the risk of A R T twins by noting
that at most of the presentations given by the editor throughout the world
on the topic of this book at least one parent has approached him with a
sad story that they had had IVF twins or triplets and one of these children
had cerebral palsy or worse.
