Selective reduction
Selective reduction (or fetal reduction) is the practice of reducing the number of fetuses in a multifetal pregnancy (i.e. those involving more than one fetus). The aim of the procedure is to avoid the medical issues generally related to multiple births (including premature births, low birth weights and associated medical problems).
The procedure is generally carried out between 9 and 12 weeks of pregnancy. The most common method is to inject a chemical solution into the most easily accessible fetus, causing it to die. Generally the fetal material is reabsorbed into the mother's body. There are various risks associated with the procedure, including losing all the babies.
Selective reduction can be a very difficult decision for those who choose to make it; in many cases it is a decision faced by infertile couples who, after undergoing infertility treatments, now have the problem of too many babies.
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