IVF fertility treatment in the UK has been criticised for being too aggressive.
The doses of drugs and the procedures used are thought by many to be unnecessarily high and more invasive than is required in many cases.
In this article we'll be looking at the effects of more aggressive IVF fertility treatment and how a gentler approach could improve the health and chances of many more women across the UK.
OHSS There are a number of risks associated with the drugs used in IVF fertility treatment and one of the most serious is OHSS (Ovarian Hyper-Stimulation Syndrome).
OHSS is an excessive ovarian response to the drugs used in the IVF process.
Gonadotrophins are the drugs behind this condition.
They work to stimulate the ovaries to produce fertile eggs, yet they can result in serious health problems when used in high doses.
If the patient is very sensitive to the fertility treatment drugs, her ovaries will produce too many eggs and become enlarged and painful.
OHSS can cause abdominal pain and swelling, raised blood pressure, enlarged ovaries and shortage of breath.
In severe cases, OHSS can cause death.
The HFEA (Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority) figures show that in the years between 1991 - 2007 there were 30,000 OHSS cases, ranging in severity from very mild to extremely severe.
In rare cases deaths were recorded.
Using lower, less aggressive doses of gonadotrophins would most likely reduce the chances of OHSS or other negative conditions and for many women it is just as effective as using a higher dose in terms of IVF success rates.
Multiple births Twins, triplets and even higher multiple births are more common for women undergoing IVF fertility treatment, especially the more aggressive forms of IVF provided by many clinics in the UK.
By implanting higher numbers of embryos during the IVF process, fertility experts run the risk of causing multiple births which are dangerous in and of themselves.
Mothers who have twins and triplets have higher chances of developing diabetes, significant rises in blood pressure and the children themselves have a far higher chance of premature birth which dramatically affects infant mortality rates.
Again, a less aggressive approach could lower the chance of multiple births.
Currently 1 in 5 of pregnancies achieved through IVF fertility treatment in the UK are twins.
The UK is working towards a 10% 'twin rate' to help lower risk.
The solution All evidence points towards the fact that IVF fertility treatment in the UK needs to become milder and less aggressive.
This is a change which has already taken place elsewhere in Europe.
Lower initial doses of fertility drugs and fewer implanted embryos will not just lower the risks but will also make IVF fertility treatment cheaper and more widely available.
Starting 'small' and progressing onto higher drug doses and multiple embryo implantation seems to be the best course for everyone.