Which fertility drugs cause multiple births

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Saving Just a moment, please. More than one-third of twins and three-quarters of triplets and higher multiple births in the U. Multiple births raise medical risks and hospital bills for moms and babies. Guidelines urging the use of fewer embryos were strengthened following the "Octomom" case, in which a California woman had octuplets after her doctor transferred 12 embryos made from an IVF treatment. Doctors are supposed to use ultrasound and blood tests to monitor how many eggs are being produced and advise couples against trying to conceive that month if there are too many, to minimize the risk of multiple births.

Many other birth defects are associated with multiple births as well. The babies will probably be underweight and may get sick or even die. Before birth, the babies might not get all the nutrition that is carried by the blood from their mother. This is particularly true if they share a placenta, the tissue that carries nutrients from the mother to the baby.

The babies may not grow as fast as normal. If the multiple babies share important blood vessels through a common placenta, they may develop heart problems or die. Twins, triplets, and other multiples are more likely to have problems with their brain development and nerves if they are born early.

One of the more common problems is cerebral palsy, an abnormality of the brain. Other problems associated with multiple births may not become known for many years after delivery. Even babies born just a few weeks too soon weeks gestation, also known as late preterm birth have higher rates of death and disability than full-term babies.

Materials provided by March of Dimes Foundation. Note: Content may be edited for style and length. Science News. ScienceDaily, 24 January March of Dimes Foundation. Fertility drugs contribute heavily to multiple births.