%0 Journal Article
%T The Desire for Multiple Pregnancy among Patients with Infertility and Their Partners
%A Ida Lilywaty Md Latar
%A Nuguelis Razali
%J International Journal of Reproductive Medicine
%D 2014
%I Hindawi Publishing Corporation
%R 10.1155/2014/301452
%X Objective. To study the predictors for desire for multiple pregnancies and the influence of providing information regarding the maternal and fetal complications associated with multiple pregnancies on their preference for multiple pregnancies. Methods. Couples attending an infertility clinic were offered to fill up a questionnaire separately. Following this, they were handed a pamphlet with information regarding the risks associated with multiple pregnancies. The patients will then be required to answer the question on the number of pregnancies desired again. Results. Two hundred fifty three out of 300 respondents completed the questionnaires adequately. A higher proportion of respondents, 60.3% of females and 57.9% of males, prefer singleton pregnancy. Patients who are younger than 35 years, with preexisting knowledge of risks associated with multiple pregnancies and previous treatment for infertility, have decreased desire for multiple pregnancies. However, for patients who are older than 35, with longer duration of infertility, and those patients who have preexisting knowledge of the increased risk, providing further information regarding the risks did not change their initial preferences. Conclusion. Providing and reinforcing knowledge on the risks to mother and fetus associated with multiple pregnancies did not decrease the preference for multiple pregnancies in patients. 1. Introduction Assisted reproductive techniques (ART) have enabled many childless couples to achieve their dream of having a child of their own. The number of women undergoing ART treatment has increased tremendously over the past three decades, leading to more than 5 million children conceived by this treatment [1]. However, as ART traditionally involved ovarian stimulation and replacement of more than one embryo, it had contributed to a significantly higher number of multiple births. The multiple birth rate from 376,971 European IVF treatment cycles in 2007 was reported as 22.3% (21.3% twins and 1% triplets), similar to rates in 2005 and 2006 (21.8 and 20.8%, resp.) [2]. The data from the Society for Assisted Reproduction Technology (SART) registry in the USA, based on 108,130 ART cycles, revealed a multiple birth rate of 35.4, of which 31.8% were twins, 3.5% were triplets, and 0.1% were higher order multiple [3]. As compared to singleton, twin and higher order pregnancies have contributed significantly to preterm deliveries. Prematurity, which is a main cause of neonatal morbidity and mortality, occurs in nearly one-half of all multiple pregnancies. It was reported that 42% of
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/ijrmed/2014/301452/