Discuss the reasons why ART leads to more multiple and premature births than the general population. ...

Each year, about 1.5 of babies born in the United States are conceived through IVF. In about 40 of all cases, three or more embryos are transferred, and about 20 of all pregnancies from IVF involve multiple births. These births generate health costs of 1 billion because twins and higher multiples are at a threefold higher risk of premature birth. About 42 of IVF births are premature, compared to about 13 of births in the general population. To avoid problems associated with multiple births, recent guidelines recommend that only one embryo should be transferred after IVF.