The Telegraph reported Nov 9th that number of older women having multiple births has continued to increase as couples seek fertility treatment abroad where clinics are largely unregulated.
The report says that fertility clinics in Britain have been working to reduce the multiple pregnancy rate by implanting women with fewer embryos at a time.
The multiple birth rate across all age groups has increased steadily over the last ten years according to the report, but the biggest jump has been among women aged 45 and over.
Figures from the Office of National Statistics revealed that in 2009, 156 women gave births to twins or triplets compared to just 29 a decade earlier. It means the multiple birth rate in women over 45 has increased by 123 per cent in ten years.
Fertility experts said this was largely down to the rise in egg donation, where older women are implanted with the fertilised eggs donated by younger women.
In Britain fertility clinics have been working to reduce the multiple pregnancy rate by implanting women with fewer embryos at a time.
Multiple births according to the report are the largest single risk to pregnant women and their babies following IVF, with a greater chance of miscarriage, pre-eclampsia, and mother is twice as likely to die after a multiple birth.
Babies are more likely to be premature, have physical abnormalities, are three to six times more likely to die at birth and long term problems include an increased risk of cerebral palsy.
IVF is very big business and one that preys on vulnerable women who wish to have their own babies. Reports on IVF tend to ignore the immorality and intrusiveness of the procedures and the fact that around 96% of embryos brought into being through IVF perish, with only about 4% actually surviving to birth.
NaproTechnology on the other hand which is a natural and inexpensive alternative can be used to diagnose and treat many of the causes of infertility and has a better success rate than the very expensive IVF procedures