Health: Local Study To Find What Fertility Treatment Results In Single Baby, Not Multiples
Stephanie Stahl reports...
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Researchers are trying to improve fertility treatments by reducing the risk of having too many babies.
Fertility treatments often results in producing multiple babies, which is risky. This new federal study is testing treatments to see which is most likely to result in a single, healthy baby.
Thirty-one-year-old Shae Freeman-Hicks has struggled with infertility. She describes it as the most frustrating part of her life.
"You know, you think your whole life that you're going to grow up and get married and then have babies. And then you get to that point in your life, and it just doesn't happen. It's a really sad and frustrating thing," said Shae.
So like millions of women, she's turned to fertility experts for help.
Now, several hospitals nationwide, including the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, are testing three medications: an injectable called Menopur, a commonly used pill called Clomid, and an investigational drug called Letrozole. The goal is to see which treatment provides the best opportunity to have a single baby.
"Humans are designed to have one baby at a time, and that's our goal with our fertility treatments," said Dr. Robert Brzyski, a Fertility Specialist.
"I think the most responsible thing to do is to aim for one baby," said Shae.
And after treatments and insemination, a single baby is what Shae is now expecting.
"It feels like it's just a dream. It's so crazy," said Shae.
The University of Pennsylvania is looking for infertile couples to volunteer. They must have tried unsuccessfully for at least a year to get pregnant, and women must be between 18 and 40.
For more information on the Penn Fertility Care Study, click here.
For more information on the clinical trial, click here.
Reported by Stephanie Stahl, CBS3
