Infertile women in Britain often undergo test-tube baby treatments without
adequate guidance, says the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
in its first annual report publshed this week. Clinics offering in vitro
fertilisation 鈥榤ust offer and make available to all patients suitable counselling
services鈥�, says Colin Campbell, chairman of the government鈥檚 watchdog for
test-tube baby treatments and embryo research.
Similarly, the embryologists who work closely with clinicians in IVF
teams often have 鈥榥o clearly defined qualifications鈥�. The HFEA says it 鈥榳ill
consider whether particular minimum qualifications can be identified, and
what, if any, training should be prescribed鈥�.
But the authority has declined to support the formation of local ethics
committees. A recent report by Julia Neuberger for the King鈥檚 Fund in London,
a health services charity, found that well-run ethics committees can help
doctors to make appropriate decisions about how best to treat patients in
controversial cases such as egg donation among relatives. The HFEA, however,
has decided that it would be 鈥榩remature鈥� to require clinics to set up ethics
committees.
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On the number of embryos transferred, the authority believes that 鈥榯here
is no longer any clinical justification for transferring more than three
in any circumstances鈥�. Concern centres on the risk of multiple pregnancies,
which are hazardous for both mothers and babies and put enormous strains
on those who raise the children.
Last year, 8195 embryo transfers were performed. More than half (55
per cent) involved the transfer of three embryos, and in 613 transfers (7.5
per cent) four embryos were replaced. These transfers led to multiple pregnancies
in a quarter of cases.
