Abortion of “Excess” Babies Common with IVF

LifeSiteNews ^ | 7/4/06 | Gudrun Schultz

[wagglebee]

 VIRGINIA BEACH, Virginia, July 4, 2006 (LifeSiteNews.com) – “Excess” babies are routinely aborted as part of in vitro fertilization techniques, a report by the Virginian-Pilot acknowledged yesterday.

The report examined the problems associated with multiple births, a common occurrence when attempting to conceive and successfully carry a child using artificial technology. The success of IVF techniques typically rely on the insertion of multiple embryos to enhance a couple’s chances that at least one embryo will successfully implant and result in a pregnancy.

Frequently, the procedure will result in more than one embryo implanting in the womb at a time, resulting in abnormally high rates of twins, triplets and quadruplets. All multiple births pose far greater risks for both mother and children. The babies are usually born prematurely with dangerously low birth weight, at risk for serious disabilities.

To avoid these risks and increase the chances of having a healthy baby, fertility clinics commonly recommend the “selective reduction” of one or more babies—which in fact simply means aborting the children tagged as less promising to make room for the baby (or babies) believed to be physically stronger. 

“In a world where debate storms on legislative floors over stem cell research and abortion, embryos are culled with quiet regularity from the wombs of women for whom fertility procedures were too effective,” wrote report author Elizabeth Simpson.

Although some fertility clinics have attempted to cut down on multiple birth rates by voluntarily placing restrictions on the number of embryos placed in the womb, such measures only result in the deaths (or indefinite storage) of left over embryos denied access to their mother’s womb.

This treatment of “surplus” embryos is a core argument against artificial procreation methods, raised by the Catholic Church and other religious and political organizations who charge that in vitro fertilization techniques are fundamentally immoral.

Read the full coverage from the Virginian-Pilot:
http://home.hamptonroads.com/stories/story.cfm?story=107004&...

See LifeSiteNews coverage of the loss of life and medical risks of IVF:

http://www.lifesite.net/features/invitro/

[wagglebee]

To avoid these risks and increase the chances of having a healthy baby, fertility clinics commonly recommend the “selective reduction” of one or more babies—which in fact simply means aborting the children tagged as less promising to make room for the baby (or babies) believed to be physically stronger.

"Selective reduction" is a term that Dr. Mengele would have been very comfortable using.

[wagglebee]

Pro-Life Ping.

[wagglebee]

Ping.

[wagglebee]

MORAL ABSOLUTES PING

DISCUSSION ABOUT:

Abortion of “Excess” Babies Common with IVF

In vitro fertilization results in far more dead babies that live ones.

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[Jeff Chandler]

Disposable people-what a concept!

[pillut48]

As someone who has dealt with infertility for many years, and by the grace of God been given a much-loved child through IVF, I've also traveled this road with other IVF parents, and while I've heard of selective reduction, IMO it's not 'routine'--in over 10 years of participating on several internet infertility support groups, I've only seen it happen twice, with the same woman involved in both instances. She underwent IVF and became pregnant with quintuplets--had 4 of them 'selectively reduced' (i.e. IMO murdered), and wound up miscarrying the remaining baby. She went through IVF again and got pregnant right away with twins and a singleton. I and many other participants on the group were horrified that she chose selective reduction of the twins again, and we tried desperately to talk her out of it, but she was adamant that she wanted only the one baby, and went through the procedure. She miscarried the remaining baby as well, and we never heard from her again.

"Routine"? No, I don't believe that. You'd have to look at the statistics for successful IVFs (not that high)--the majority of successful cases are singletons. I've only heard of selective reduction being offered in cases where there are quintuplets, sextuplets, septuplets, octuplets--and frankly, there just aren't that many cases that come along involving those high numbers of successful pregnancies.

I've *never* heard of twins or triplets being selectively reduced since I've been online (1994). I believe fertility doctors are becoming much more careful about how many embryos they replace to avoid the higher multiples pregnancies, which carry many, many health problems, etc.

[RepoGirl]

I just checked your freep page and saw your little blessing--what a beautiful little angel.

[Halls]

there are 2 sets of fraternal triplets at my sons school in the first grade. Both were I believe concieved by IVF. They are all beautiful healthy looking children.

[Delphinium]

Maya Grace is such a beautiful blessing from the Lord. I love her just from seeing her pictures on your freep page.

[Former Fetus]

To avoid these risks and increase the chances of having a healthy baby, fertility clinics commonly recommend the “selective reduction” of one or more babies—which in fact simply means aborting the children tagged as less promising to make room for the baby (or babies) believed to be physically stronger.

That's where embryo adoption comes in! It is possible to adopt a frozen embryo, have him implanted into your uterus, and 9 months later deliver a beautiful baby. If I was younger and considering adoption, that would be my first choice since I would be saving a life.

For anybody interested in the embryo adoption program, here is a LINK

[MonroeDNA]

Nutjobs!

[srmorton]

I have mixed feelings about IVF due to the chance of multiple births and the possibility of selective reduction to avoid it. I am the mother of twins and I honestly don't know how anyone could deal with more than two at one time!

Thanks to IVF, however, I have a beautiful grandniece and a handsome grandnephew who are turning three this year They were the first babies on my mother's side of the family since my twins were born almost 26 years ago. Although their mother had no problem at all conceiving, both of my nieces had problems and had to resort to IVF. Oddly enough, the mother of my grandnephew had started the treatments again about this time last year, but got too busy at work and was going to try again after Christmas. She is expecting her second child (a girl), this one conceived without IVF

[srmorton]

I have mixed feelings about IVF due to the chance of multiple births and the possibility of selective reduction to avoid it. I am the mother of twins and I honestly don't know how anyone could deal with more than two at one time!

Thanks to IVF, however, I have a beautiful grandniece and a handsome grandnephew who are turning three this year They were the first babies on my mother's side of the family since my twins were born almost 26 years ago. Although their mother had no problem at all conceiving, both of my nieces had problems and had to resort to IVF. Oddly enough, the mother of my grandnephew had started the treatments again about this time last year, but got too busy at work and was going to try again after Christmas. She is expecting her second child (a girl), this one conceived without IVF.

[goteasier]

Here in Missouri we have a constitutional amendment on the November ballot on cloning and embryonic stem cell research. I believe Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures (pro-embryonic stem cell) is being careless with the truth by not telling the whole truth in their literature. They state one basic source of embryonic stem cells is “leftover fertility clinic embryos that would otherwise be discarded.” Really. The only way to disposition embryos is discard them?

When a couple decides on in-vitro fertilization, there are multiple embryos generated. “Frozen embryos” refers to those embryos that are not transferred to a woman’s womb but are subsequently cryopreserved. A frozen embryo transfer can be used to produce a viable pregnancy by first thawing the frozen embryo, and transferring it into an appropriately prepared uterus. In simpler terms, these embryos are not simply leftover and doomed to be discarded! They can be implanted and allow to grow into a wonderful, beautiful baby. They can even be donated for adoption by a different couple. The frozen embryos do not need to be destroyed for scientific research.

Just asking that the FR family help defeat the moneyed interests pushing to kill the embryos currently in a frozen status after IVF. If interested to learn more, go to http://www.nocloning.org, the web page for Missourians Against Human Cloning.

[goteasier]

I know a family who had multiple births which I am sure was due to IVF. They had triplets, and one of the girls had cerebral palsy. They've organized their life around her, starting a foundation for her, and working to raise money to cure and treat cerebral palsy.

I'm sure they did not intend to be leaders in raising money for health purposes before they had the triplets. Funny how Providence guides a family.

[Allison_Wonderland]

This is referred to as "multifetal reduction". It is actually an abortion of an embryo which has attached to the mother's uterus after IVF, and been deemed to have created an excessive fetal pregnancy.

Amazing what science has done, isn't it? There is no shame.

[Almondjoy]

While I have seen some pretty grotesque ways of using IVF I have to say that I proudly used it.

Before getting married I knew my wife had already had her tubes tied. Never being married myself I knew it wouldn't be fair to hold her divorce against her. She had her tubes tied after having her two other children.

Instead of going through a risky procedure(tubeal ligation reversal) we decided that IVF was the way to go. I'm happy to report that after putting in two embryos we have been blessed with two soon to be very healthy baby girls.

I know on judgement day I might have to face the music. But I also know that I did was the safest thing for my wife.

[Excellence]

"which in fact simply means aborting the children tagged as less promising to make room for the baby (or babies) believed to be physically stronger."

At that stage, it is practically impossible to tell them apart. That is not the criterion. The doctor picks the ones easiest to get at, and those would be the ones most towards the front of the uterus. The doctor isn't going to go through a "more promising" fetus to get at the "less promising" fetus.

The facts are enough. The writer doesn't need to write b.s. to make a propaganda point.

[Excellence]

There are a lot of follow up studies on the children of IVF, but not many on the women. Please tell her to get good follow up care. Pay close attention to the possibility of early menopause and osteoporosis. She probably already knows about the cancer risk.

[pillut48]

Thank you so much! :*) We think so too.