Ethical thinking on the number of embryos transferred for women with advanced age

The “universal two-child” policy has brought an increase in the number of pregnant women with advanced age. Many medical problems and ethical conflicts have emerged, and maternal-child health and prenatal and postnatal care are facing great challenges. How to help elderly women realize their reproductive aspiration according to the ethical principle of “safety of mothers and health of children” is a problem that needs our great attention. The transfer of multiple embryos at a time is an independent factor leading to multiple pregnancies. However, there are no strict regulations on single embryo transfer in China. In view of a series of maternal and infant hazards caused by multiple pregnancies, this paper elaborates on the ethics of assisted pregnancy in elderly women with the number of embryos transferred. Key words: Number of embryos transferred; Advanced age; Security of mothers and infants; Ethics