Saturday, January 31, 2009

7, 8, 9 ... 14!

I have misgivings about some reproductive technologies, but I do understand how desperate how infertile parents get in having children -- and the state should be supportive of that.

What I have a big problem with is parents who already have children but think it's not enough and then get fertility treatments -- and deprive infertile parents of access to those treatments since the already fertile couples have money to get to the front of the line. Such is the case with a single parent who gave birth to eight children the other day. That would be fine, except she already had six! (And the woman claims, through her parents, that she only wanted one more child, a girl.)

Children, of course, are a blessing from God. But isn't there a point when so many children should be enough? Shouldn't those who don't have children get preferential access to fertility clinics? And really, how can a thirty-something single mother realistically raise fourteen children?

Even the most devout of my Catholic friends, who oppose any type of IVF treatments, say the issue isn't how the children were conceived but that they were at all. It is simply improvident, they say, for someone to have so many children if they don't have the means to do so -- and certainly it is stupid to even try to conceive if one has had so many children already since each subsequent pregnancy and birth puts more strain on the mother.

I agree. I am of course not saying it would not have been better for the children to have been not born at all -- simply that the mother's background should have been checked into. I fear that the mother will find she simply can't cope, and all fourteen children will wind up in foster care and apart from each other. That would be truly the worst possible outcome.

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2 comments:

Anonymous said...

The doctor was stupid !..in fact not much intelligence for either one! She cannot look after 14. Those children should be taken away and put in good homes. She is single which is worse, but she must be well off, financially, living with her mother.

Aurelia said...

Actually, the story gets worse. There have been some updates.

I'm just concerned as are most of my friends in the infertility blogosphere, because this is so bizarre and out of the norm for infertility treatment.

People's opinions are judgemental enough without adding this mentally ill woman's story to the mix. Her Doctor should have his license taken away.

Thing is that when government health care covers infertility treatment they usually demand single embryo transfer. Works like a charm in Europe. Everyone is safe and healthy. No more multiples, fewer miscarriages, less premature babies. Lowers health care costs....it's fabulous.

We want that in Ontario, but now, this horrible woman might influence someone to say no to us.