Fertility TreatmentsI. IntroductionMost people assume that we will all grow up, fall in love, get married, and then have children of our own. This is not the lifestyle that everyone chooses, but it is nonetheless the accepted view of the majority of society. What happens when the unthinkable happens and a happily married couple can't get pregnant? This is a reality for 7.1%, or 2.8 million, of married couples in the United States (Lenox, 1999). Today, many people around the world decide to use fertility treatments to help them conceive a child, which often leads to the birth of twins, triplets, or even higher-order multiples. Many risk factors are involved in this type of pregnancy, and these questions have created debate around this topic. The use of fertility treatments in recent years has been accompanied by an increase in the number of multiple births observed each year. The twin birth rate has increased by 59% since 1980, and the triple and higher-order multiple birth rate has increased by 423% (King's Daughter Children's Hospital, 2004). There are currently two main forms of assisted reproductive therapy (ART). These include induction of ovulation using fertility drugs alone and in vitro fertilization (IVF).II. Fertility Treatment Options Ovulation induction through the use of different forms of fertility medications is the most common type of assisted reproductive therapy. The medication known as clomiphene, delivered as an oral tablet, is commonly used for ovulation induction. It is taken over a limited period during the menstrual cycle (Jacobs, 2004). This can vary between patients and doctors. The drug works for all...... middle of article ......Academic Search Premier [Online Database AN: 3358771].Jacobs, Barry, MD. Multiple births. Retrieved October 13, 2004 from http://www.texasfertility.com/nextstepmultiple.htm Lenox, Naomi. (1999). When fertility therapy goes out of control: debate on the ethics and dangers of multiple births. The Midwest Today. Retrieved November 1, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://www.midtod.com/fertility.phtmlMalpani, Dr. A&A. (2004). How much does the treatment cost? Retrieved November 1, 2004, from the World Wide Web: http://infertility.adoption.com/chapter47.phpMorrow, Lance. (1999). Is this true? Who has the right to say it? Time. Flight. 153, number 1, p.41. Retrieved from Academic Search Premier [Online database AN: 1402892].Shady Grove Fertility Centers. Blastocyst transfer. Retrieved October 14, 2004 from http://www.fertilitynetwork.com/articles/articles-blastocyst.htm