Monday, August 25th, 2008...10:12 am
Fertility Treatment Risk or Ultimate Goal?
Trying for twins? Many couples, especially those going through IVF treatment, hope to get pregnant with twins, even asking their doctor to transfer more embryos than needed to increase the chances of a multiple pregnancy. Those taking fertility drugs may ask their doctors to increase the dosage, also wishing to get pregnant with twins.
I understand the emotions behind these choices. Fertility treatment is extremely stressful, and expensive. If you could complete your family in one, or just two, treatment cycles, you might save money, and perhaps even some sanity.
hat’s the emotional logic – but is it really so?The reality is that a multiple pregnancy comes with its own stresses and expenses. When you’re pregnant with twins or triplets, your risks for miscarriage, preterm labor, and gestational diabetes is higher. Your babies also risk being born prematurely, having developmental delays down the road, and other problems.
You can read more about the risks of multiples here:
It’s not all dark clouds, though. Twin pregnancies can turn out ok. Things don’t also have to go wrong.
It’s also true that anyone who uses fertility drugs accepts the risk that they may get pregnant with multiples. But with all the risks, why try for twins or triplets on purpose? Personally, I’d rather try for one healthy baby, than put my health and my baby’s health at risk just to save time or money.
1 Comment
August 25th, 2008 at 1:07 pm
I agree with you that trying to get pregnant with multiples on purpose is crazy to say the least. And this is coming from someone who went through infertility treatments herself. I in no way tried to get pregnant with triplets. I am blessed to have them and was blessed to have what is considered an uncomplicated pregnacy with triplets. At 11 weeks I got a cerclage, stitch in my cervix to prevent preterm labor, bedrest at 12 weeks. Hospital at 30 weeks and they were born at 31 weeks. They spent 25, 26 and 18 days in the NICU with no major premie complications. I was one of the lucky ones. I have friends whose children did not survive, they were in facty born too early, others who will have lasting effects of being premature.
Triplet pregnacies are no guarantee of a healthy newborn, or of three healthy newborns, often the moms are on Strict Bedrest for the entire pregnacy, in the hospital etc.
and while it is so cute and adorable to have triplets, and yes fun at times. There are ways that it changes your life that you can not deny. It is much harder to go anywhere, you become a germ and schedule freak and spend lots of time at dr office and hospitals. You miss out on the cudeling, you miss the one on one time and in ways they miss it as well.
would I trade my triplets for anything NO, but would i in anyway try to get pg with triplets on purpose. Not in a million years.
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