From their remarks in the media, you might think that IVF doctors are outraged at a colleague who implanted 6 embryos in OctoMom Nadya Suleman. Perhaps so, but chances are very good that they are doing the same thing. Figures from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that fewer than 20% of US clinics follow professional guidelines about how many embryos should be implanted. "Clearly, most programs are not adhering to the guidelines," said Dr. Bradley Van Voorhis, director of the fertility clinic at the University of Iowa.

For women under 35, just 83 of 426 clinics followed the guidance calling for 1 and no more than 2 embryos. However, the average for fresh embryos (as opposed to frozen) implanted in women in that age group ranged from a 1.4 to 4.8. The vast majority of the clinics averaged between 2 and 3 embryos."There are enough clinics that quite openly flout professional guidelines that we really do need to start thinking about public policy in this area," said Marcy Darnovsky of the Center for Genetics and Society, a public interest group. "I think it's way overdue."

Why don’t doctors implant 1 or 2 embryos, as happens in Europe? "You have patients who are desperate and you have doctors who are driven by success rates. It's not a good combination," said Pamela Madsen, founder and former head of the American Fertility Association. ~ AP, Feb 20