Attitudes of German infertile couples towards multiple births and elective embryo transfer

In Germany, embryo screening programmes combined with elective embryo transfer are illegal, but there is controversial debate about their legalization. Studies about the attitudes of infertile couples towards multiples, elective embryo transfer and multifetal reduction may help to illuminate how this law shapes patient choices.

A survey of 265 German infertile couples was conducted. Different logistic regression analyses were performed to assess independent factors associated with the parity for multiple births, approval for elective embryo transfer and multifetal reduction.

Despite prior information about the risk of multiple births, 81% of respondents saw no risk in twin pregnancies and a sizable minority saw no risk even in triplet pregnancies. Eighty-nine percent of the respondents rated a twin pregnancy as desirable, whereas 35% rated a triplet birth as desirable. When presented with a choice of having multiple births versus having no biological children, 99% of the respondents endorsed twins, 84% triplets and 58% quadruplets. Seventy-four percent of the respondents approve of legalizing embryo screening programmes to select a good-quality embryo combined with elective embryo transfer. Ninety-two percent of the respondents rejected fetal reduction of twins.

German infertile couples might conceivably be more willing to accept elective embryo transfer if screening for viable embryos was permitted.