From egg to offspring. Survival rates in in-vitro fertilisation: where does it go wrong?

This retrospective study examines the attrition that occurs from all eggs inseminated and fertilised through to babies taken home in an IVF fresh/frozen programme undertaken between 2001-4. Poor survival rates are to be found, particularly during the recognised in-vitro developmental stages, Present practice which promotes quantity from the start, increases problem potential, is wasteful and against the concept of one embryo one baby. This suggests the need to develop better criteria for egg selection for insemination thus enabling a rethink to the approach to ovarian stimulation of one of quality rather than quantity.