Last week Beyoncé broke social media records when she announced that she was pregnant with twins. Good Day DC spoke to Andrea E. Reh, M.D. from Shady Grove Fertility’s Arlington and Fredericksburg, VA offices to talk about pregnancy risks with multiples and the higher rate of multiples with fertility treatment, and even Beyoncé’s upcoming performances.
Was fertility treatment involved?
While we don’t know whether Mrs. Carter underwent any fertility treatment, Dr. Reh began the interview by addressing the perceived stigma surrounding infertility that keeps couples from revealing the use of fertility treatment to build their families. Infertility used to hardly be talked about, but with more couples having kids in their mid- to late-30s (Beyoncé is 35), Reh believes the stigma is dissipating and support systems are growing.
What is elective single embryo transfer (eSET)?
At Shady Grove Fertility, our goal is for mothers to carry one baby at a time as this is shown to be the safest for mom and baby. We’ve pioneered eSET (elective single embryo transfer), where the best quality embryo is transferred during the in vitro fertilization (IVF) process, which enables patients to have the same success when transferring one or two embryos but with a greatly reduced risk of multiples.
What can increase the chance of multiples?
Dr. Reh acknowledges however, that with other fertility treatments there is an increased risk of multiples. These include certain medications that can produce more than one egg and intrauterine insemination (IUI) where sperm is directly injected into the uterus. While there are some risks for mothers and babies during twin pregnancies, in general, Dr. Reh says that they usually do well. Some concerns include the higher risk of delivering early.
What about Beyoncé’s upcoming performances?
For a singer like Beyoncé with a high-energy stage act, Dr. Reh says that concert goers shouldn’t rush to give up their tickets. Women who exercise regularly can often continue to do so. Being pregnant with twins, mothers like Beyoncé will be monitored more frequently by their obstetricians.
To get started with fertility treatment and to schedule an appointment with Dr. Andrea Reh or one of our other 38 physicians, call 1-877-971-7755.
At Shady Grove Fertility, we’re here to give you the caring support you deserve as you start or grow your family. As a leading fertility and IVF center of excellence, we offer patients individualized care, innovative financial options, over 30 accepted insurance plans, and pregnancy rates among the highest of all national centers. We offer patients the convenience of 19 full-service and 6 satellite locations across Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, and Washington, D.C. More than 1,700 physicians choose Shady Grove Fertility to refer their patients, and more than 96 percent of our patients say they would recommend Shady Grove Fertility’s 35+ physicians to a friend. With 10 Shady Grove Fertility babies born each day, your dream of starting or growing your family is within reach.
