Fewer triplets are being born in the US for this surprising reason

Turns out the Octomom is truly one of a kind.The rate of triplet births and births of a higher order — like quadruplets, sextuplets and octuplets — dropped 62% in the US between 1998 and 2023, according to a Thursday report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The researchers noted that white mothers accounted for the largest decline in these types of births (71%) compared with a 25% decrease for Hispanic mothers and a 25% increase for black mothers.“This decline in triplet and higher-order births over the last 25 years has been associated with changes to guidance related to the number of embryos transferred during assisted reproductive technology use,” the report read.Implanting more than one embryo created through in vitro fertilization (IVF) increases the chance of pregnancy — and is cheaper than going through several cycles.However, implanting several embryos increases the risk of babies born prematurely or at low birth weight, as well as ectopic pregnancy, stillbirth, high blood pressure and gestational diabetes for the mother.As multiple births became more common, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASMR) and the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology issued guidelines in the late 1990s recommending the maximum number of embryos for transfer.Three was the upper limit for women younger than 35.“Below-average” prognosis patients — women over 40 and those who had several failed IVF cycles — could implant up to five at the same time.Now, ASRM recommends transferring just one embryo in most cases.

For women older than 40, no more than four untested early-stage embryos should be implanted at once.“These guidelines have evolved as the technology has evolved,” Dr.Micah Hill — president of the Society for Assisted Reproductive Technology, who was not involved in the new report — told CNN.“I think it’s been successful in making fertility treatments safer, which is really what we care about when we’...