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PEDRO N. BARRI Y COLS. AN. R. ACAD. NAC. FARM.

ABSTRACT

Prevention of prematurity by single embryo transfer.

The development of Assisted Reproduction Techniques represents
an important advance in the treatment of human infertility. However,
their great effectiveness has brought with it an excessive increase in
multiple pregnancy rates with the serious medical, financial and so-
cial consequences that they entail. Now, the scientific societies, the
health professionals, and the infertile couples themselves are aware
of these risks and have worked together to implement various strate-
gies to deal with this situation.

The result that is being obtained from the strategy of selectively
reducing the number of embryos transferred is obvious. The pandem-
ic of multiple pregnancies is being brought under control and so we
have effective prevention of the obstetric and neonatal complications
arising from it. It is to be hoped that it will also contribute to signif-
icantly reducing the rates of prematurity and thus of severe neonatal
complications.

Keywords: Infertility; multiple pregnacy; prematurity; single em-
bryo transfer.

1. INTRODUCCIÓN

Es bien conocido el riesgo obstétrico y perinatal que se asocia a
los embarazos múltiples. En España las tasas de prematuridad se si-
túan alrededor del 8% y a pesar de la mejoría de las condiciones so-
cio sanitarias y de los avances científicos, no han variado en los últi-
mos diez años. Complicaciones graves como la prematuridad extrema
y las secuelas neurológicas graves tales como la parálisis cerebral au-
mentan de forma exponencial en función del rango de multiplicidad
de una gestación.

Según los registros demográficos españoles de los últimos veinte
años la tasa de parto gemelar se ha doblado (75 de cada 10,000 par-
tos en 1980; 175 en 2004) y la tasa de trillizos ha aumentado seis ve-
ces (11 de cada 10,000 en 1980; 60 en 2004) (15) el origen de esta pan-

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