Something needs to be said in light of the recent spectacle created by the women who gave birth to Octuplets. I read a blog post written by a fellow infertile. I wish that I had the eloquence and wit that this women does because I would have written this article myself. Word for word.
Before you get started I am going to give you a small guide to the abbreviations because it's written in Infertilese.
HOM's - High-Order Multiples
ART - Assisted Reproductive Technology
IVF - Invitro Fertilization
FET - Frozen Embryo Transfer
IUI - Intrauterine Insemination
Once you finish the article come back here to read the rest of my post.
I'd like to gloss over my favorite parts of this article:
1. I LOVE that she points out the fact that if IVF were covered by insurance, there would be a lot less HOM's. Our insurance covers NOTHING.
2. In the same paragraph she points out that people who need IVF don't typically/purposefully put themselves in the positions to birth a litter. You only hear about them because it makes great news. Example: John and Kate plus 8. I personally like the show, but you see what I'm getting at. She also nailed it when she referred to the "the Fertile Public", insinuating that most people who don't have trouble getting pregnant have no idea what's going on with the latest treatments. While we've begun telling people about one of our options being IVF, at least 95% of them have assumed I'm going to have twins- if not more. I'd like to first say that in my case, they would only implant one fertilized egg because my plumbing is in good shape. From what I've read, when there is a problem on the woman's side, endometriosis, cysts and such, it's more difficult for a single egg to implant, so they tend to, but not always, insert more than one. Second, from the same people who assume we'll be having multiples comes the reaction "oh gawd, I would never want twins". Let me just say that when it's a real possibility that you may not have children at all- twins don't sound so bad.
3. I like that her ultimate judgment is on the doctor for implanting so many embryo's without doing further assessments into her situation. Also isn't there some kind of code of ethics that should have been called upon in regards to the health of the potential lives to be created from this procedure???? Not to mention the crazy mother's health? She has 6 other children to think about!! What if something had gone terribly wrong? Then the 6+ would be without their mother? AND what kind of financial impact it would make?!!!
I'd like to end this post with a big WTF?! And ask for your input on this travesty. Especially to my readers who are dealing with infertility.
6 comments:
Oh gosh, I have been meaning to write an entry about this ridiculousness too. I HATE that this one crazy woman makes people who go through fertility treatments seem looney. ART is an amazing thing for loving couples who can't conceive on their own and make the decision to move forward with IUI or IVF, often after years of heartbreak. So it really makes me mad that the media only reports the bizarre fertility treatment stories, so that the stigma associated with ART is perpetuated. Grr...can you tell how mad this makes me?! Thanks for this post.
PS- I can't wait until they track down her crazy RE. What he/she did was dangerous and irresponsible.
Kerri- Extremely well said. I completely agree with you. Thanks for your input.
Thanks for touching on it. The whole thing makes me SO angry- Angry at the doc for letting this happen, angry at the lady for ruining what so many people have worked so hard to dispel. I am so not thrilled at how I will have to work even harder to explain to my non-IF family and friends that no, I am not worried about multiples after IVF and why...
I hate that people who have no IDEA about IF and ART want to slap regulation on it. I say, fine do that- but then make regulation that it must be covered by insurance nationwide!!!
And finally- I want to know the lady's secret: How on earth did she afford IVF as a single parent of 6 kids (that I read were also ART babies)??? My husband and I both have college degrees and professional jobs, and we can hardly afford one shot at IVF!
--Katie
Oh, one more thing: There wasn't this big of a public outcry when the Duggars had their 18 child not that long ago. And that mom isn't employed. I know there are other differences, but I still think there's a little bit of a double standard when ART is involved.
--Katie
Melissa - I am so glad you posted about this. I also loved where she talked about reassuring the mom about the likelyhood of sextuplets. Since we are in our first IVF cycle, I had to reassure my own mother about the # of embryos transferred. (Thank you crazy lady - I really needed my mom worried about all of this.)
I also thing the RE should have his medical license revoked for this one.
Carli from BBC
That's a great question- has anyone out there heard how she afforded IVF (on more than one occasion)?? I think I also read that she was a "professional student" without a real job.
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