Selective Reduction — A Perinatal Necessity?

Today, it is not unusual for a medical therapy, no matter how exciting its potential, to have a "down side," especially in the early stages of its development and implementation. A perfect example is the occasional occurrence of multiple gestation as a complication of the induction of ovulation in infertile patients.Various studies show an incidence of multiple gestation in induced ovulation ranging from 16 to 39 percent. In one study, multiple gestation occurred in 25 percent of the patients, with five pregnancies involving triplets, two quadruplets, and four quintuplets.1 The mother of multiple fetuses must endure weeks of discomfort . . .