IVF Test Triples Birth Success

A new procedure in the trial phase makes a woman undergoing in vitro fertilization three times more likely to have a healthy baby, the Daily Mail reports. The test analyzes prospective embryos for chromosomal abnormalities, choosing a healthy specimen to implant into the womb and raising the success rate from between 20% and 30% to nearly 90%. It's expected to be available within three years, with special benefit to older mothers.

The test would likely cost more than $3,000, but it could save money in the long run by reducing the number of attempts needed—at $6,300 a pop. The technique also could cut down on a notorious side effect of IVF: the increased likelihood that a mother will have twins or any number of -tuplets. The current IVF procedure implants several embryos in the hopes of one surviving, whereas the new procedure implants only one.
(More IVF stories.)