Most naturally occurring cases of multiple pregnancy cannot be prevented. Women wishing for a single gestation may consider having children at a younger age because older women are more likely to conceive a multiple pregnancy.

Some prevention methods for multiple pregnancy exist for women taking fertility drugs and using other assisted reproductive techniques such as in-vitro fertilization. For drugs that increase ovulation, the physician may be able to identify when there are too many eggs produced. The woman may choose to wait until the next ovulation cycle to attempt pregnancy. With in-vitro fertilization, the physician and parents can agree upon how many embryos to implant in the uterus. Implantation techniques have improved recently so that physicians can implant fewer embryos.

In cases where four or more embryos were implanted and are growing, a physician may be able to perform a multifetal pregnancy reduction. This process is usually performed between nine and 12 weeks’ gestation. The physician uses a needle to inject potassium chloride into the fetuses to be eliminated. The remaining fetuses continue to grow. The reduction increases the likelihood that the other babies can continue until birth. Multifetal reduction can be a traumatic decision for parents, especially in a pregnancy that was difficult to achieve. Parents should receive counseling before deciding to have the procedure.