Multiple Pregnancies Following Assisted Conception (Scientific Impact Paper No. 22, 2026 Third Edition)

Abstract

Multiple pregnancy is a preventable complication of in vitro fertilisation (IVF). Multiple pregnancies are often the result of a treatment approach that means more than one embryo is placed into the womb during each IVF treatment cycle in the belief that this may increase the chance of a successful pregnancy resulting in a live birth. In reality, this approach has led to a higher rate of IVF multiple pregnancies, ranging between one in three and one in seven pregnancies across many parts of the world, including the UK.