Japan researchers conduct multifetal pregnancy reduction surgeries

It was the first time that the procedure was carried out as clinical research in Japan.

The results were presented to the Japan Society of Perinatal and Neonatal Medicine.

According to Professor Masayuki Endo of the research team, surgeries were performed with consent between March and December last year on 10 pregnant women in their 20s to 40s who had pregnancies of triplets or more, or had two fetuses but suffered serious complications.

The operations involved injecting a drug into the hearts of fetuses between 11 and 13 weeks into pregnancy, and were conducted while examining their safety and psychological impact on the expecting mothers.

All 10 cases resulted in reductions to one or two fetuses.

The survival rate of fetuses not subject to reduction stood at 89.5 pct a week after the procedures.

Researchers said that the women were highly anxious before and after the operations, although there was a slight improvement after the surgeries.

They said that long-term psychological support is necessary for those undergoing the surgery.

In 1986, a maternity clinic in the central Japan prefecture of Nagano said that it conducted a multifetal pregnancy reduction surgery, the first such case made public in the country.

But concerns arose that the surgery could amount to illegal abortion.

Obstetrician groups and government councils have since discussed the matter, but there are still no clear rules over the procedure.

The rate of multiple births tends to increase slightly amid the spread of fertility treatments such as the use of ovulation induction drugs.

As such, reduction surgeries are believed to be increasing behind closed doors.

"If it becomes possible to perform operations at public medical institutions, we may be able to reduce a bit the sense of guilt felt by people who performed operations in private," Endo said.