“Two Kids for the Price of One?”

Abstract

Providers and patients grapple, too, with how many offspring to produce. A California woman who gave birth to octuplets through in vitro fertilization, whom the media labeled “Octomom,” brought worldwide attention to the problems of multiple births from these technologies. Many patients and providers still seek twins to save time and money, fueling an “epidemic of twins.” Yet even with twins, the risks of complications rise significantly. In over 40% of twin births, the infants encounter medical complications. Commentators have argued that single embryo transfer should become the standard of care, but patients frequently oppose it. If more than one fetus develops, providers and patients also confront dilemmas of whether to abort all but one of the fetuses. Decisions about such fetal reduction can excruciate both doctors and patients. Even many pro-choice patients are wary of such partial abortions.