Quintuplet Pregnancy Following Transfer of Three Embryos. A Case Report

Author(s): Aya N Abusheikha, Naim A Abusheikha, Aseil E Khatib

This is a rare case of a quintuplet pregnancy of two sets of Monozygotic Twins (MZT) co-existing with a singleton pregnancy resulting from transfer of three cleaved embryos. To ameliorate the adverse implications of multiple gestation, fetal reduction to twins by intracardiac puncture and aspiration was carried out at 11 weeks’ gestation. The patient has now delivered two healthy babies (a boy and a girl) at 35 weeks and 6 days by a lower segment caesarean section. Fetal reduction of high order pregnancies remains relatively the best option to reduce the risks for the mother and her babies despite the ethical and psychological dilemmas associated with it. Patients undergoing assisted conception treatment can be at a small but definite risk of monozygotic twinning, therefore, clinicians should keep this in mind when counseling patients regarding the number of embryos to be placed.