Background: The objective of this study was to investigate the attitudes towards and management of single embryo transfer(SET) among Nordic in vitro fertilisation (IVF) doctors, and to present the rate of SET and multiple pregnancies in the different countries.
Methods: A questionnaire was sent to all IVF doctors in the Nordic countries (n=198, 78.5% responded). Pregnancy rates, SET and multiple births rates were extracted from registries. Main outcome measure was attitudes and management of SET.
Results: Almost all doctors thought that a twin pregnancy compared unfavourably to a singleton. A twin rate >10% was acceptable for 5% of Swedish doctors. Corresponding figures for Finnish, Danish and Norwegian doctors were 21, 35 and 35%, respectively. For a woman <36 years, performing her first cycle and with two good quality embryos, almost all doctors would recommend SET. For a woman ≥ 36 years in a similar situation, SET would be recommended only in Sweden and Finland. The pregnancy rate per embryo transfer (ET), the SET rate 2003, the multiple birth rate, and the estimated SET rate 2004 were 33.3, 21.5, 22.7 and 25% (Denmark), 31.3, 43.4, 14 and 51%(Finland), 40.5, 10.5, 26.5 and 16% (Iceland), 30.6, 18, 25.2 and 26% (Norway), and 35.3, 55.1, 11.8 and 71% (Sweden).
Conclusions: The SET and multiple birth rates reflect the attitudes of Nordic IVF doctors to SET and multiple births well.When introducing SET, the attitude of the IVF doctor seems to be important.