The power of one and its cost

The case for continued public funding of IVF using single embryo transfer

Assisted reproductive technologies, including in-vitro fertilisation (IVF), are now mainstream treatments in Australia, strongly supported by public opinion and accessible to most patients via adequate Medicare funding. Over the past 30 years, the growth in uptake of IVF in this country has been remarkable, with nearly 4% of all live births resulting from this mode of conception.1 This is associated with a loss of stigma surrounding infertility and the increased acceptability of IVF as a treatment option. Technologies such as intracytoplasmic sperm injection, use of donor gametes and embryos, preimplantation genetic diagnosis, improved access through an expansion of clinics, and the rapid commercialisation of the industry have all combined to expand services available to patients.