Wednesday, February 18, 2009

the octuplets

you know, I just couldn't stop myself from commenting on the California octuplets. I know a lot of people are upset about the situation because of she is taking government assistance and basically the taxpayer will end up footing the bill for about . . . oh all 14 of her kids.

I have been VERY upset with the situation but not necessarily about the welfare. Having one daughter from IVF myself, I feel I can relate to a little of her situation and have a unique perspective. Here is my perspective:

She needs to have the children removed from her care.

When we were doing our IVF cycles I had 31 eggs that were fertilized and the doctor said he never transfers more than 2 embryos at a time. He said the health risks for the mother and the children are never worth transferring more embryos. There are other IVF clinics that don't bat an eyelash at transfering more than that . . . but he said those clinics are putting lives in jeapordy for their own selfish reasons. If clinics transfer more embryos they get a higher implantation rate on IVF cycles. Then in advertisements they can say they have a higher success rate than their competitor. So, the fact that she even transfered 6 while still being somewhat young shows that she was crazy willing to risk the lives and future health of those unborn children for her own selfish desires. I also think that doctor should be disbarred. So take it for what it's worth, but my doctors are some of the best in the nation at the Clinic in Las Vegas.

I wanted to quote this article I found in TIME that I agree with:
The unusual situation has prompted some experts in the bioethics and reproductive technology field to re-examine the need for more regulation of IVF treatments. "The right to reproduce isn't unlimited. You can't put children at risk. The field of reproductive medicine and fertility treatment has an absolute responsibility to look out for the children it is creating in new ways. And in this case it seems to have failed," says Arthur Caplan, chair of the Department of Medical Ethics at the University of Pennsylvania, arguing for a need for professional regulations. "[The process] should look more like adoption, requiring some evaluation of the patient, requiring some assessment of their psychological, emotional and physical abilities to raise children and some control over not trying to have too many children created all at once."
It's not that I want IVF parents to have to have more drama in their lives but at the first informational meeting D&I went to @ the FCLV there were some pretty crazy people there. One lady was over 60, another looked homeless, etc. I don't want to be discriminatory but they never would have qualified for adoption . . . and I think same standards should apply.

5 comments:

  1. I really liked what you said! It is strange that there is no regulations on IVF, when it is such an amazing thing that they are creating. I hope this story helps show some light on the subject.

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  2. Thanks for posting about this! I totally agree with you. What this has done has made a bad name for those of us that IVF is our only option besides adoption. Thanks for letting your opinion known. I agree with you 100%

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  3. I appreciate your unique perspective. I had no idea crazy people could do IVF, I thought the high cost would weed most homeless, welfare recipients out and that Drs would use some ethics.
    Whenever I see pictures of the octuplets- it makes me sick to my stomach. They are innocent children.. that never asked to be brought into this world under these circumstances.

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