Objective: To present the first genetically proven identity of quintuplets in an IVF treatment cycle after transferring only two embryos.
Design: Case report.
Setting: IVF unit and obstetrics department of university-affiliated general hospital.
Patient(s): Twenty-five-year-old patient undergoing IVF treatment for unexplained infertility.
Intervention(s): In vitro fertilization with intracytoplasmic sperm injection performed on 50% of oocytes, resulting in successful production of nine early-cleavage embryos. Transfer of two embryos on day 3 and freezing of the remaining embryos.
Main outcome measure(s): Development of five separate embryonic sacs. Fetal reduction of three embryos at 12 weeks of gestation.
Result(s): Successful completion of the twin pregnancy and full genetic analysis of the three embryos and the twins that were born at term.
Conclusion(s): Despite transferring only two embryos, superfecundation occurred, resulting in five embryos. Genetic analysis can be used to determine paternity and identity of all the embryos.