I have to give a presentation on Thursday about the 2010 physiology nobel prize winner Dr Robert Edwards for the development of IVF.
I would just like to know what everyones opinions are on it? i.e. ethical etc
(my presentation is based on the development of IVF, so dont worry I wont be using any of your opinions! :) )
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I understand that knowone would want a ginger child, but going through IVF to prevent it is probably to far... :P
In all seriousness though, I think their could be a problem with designer babies, especially in countries where doctors tend to be corrupt, doing pretty much anything for money
My wife and I had multiple IVF treatment cycles - ultimately we were unsuccessful and we ended up adopting our children.
I have absolutely no moral problem with basic IVF treatment. I would prefer to call this assisted conception which is at the far end of a journey that most go through via other forms of assisted conception - i.e. Maximising chances of conception by monitoring ovulation, to improving sperm count, to fertility drugs. For us it was the logical end to the process which also involved freezing spare embryos for later implanting.
It amounted for us to the mixing of our gametes externally to cause fertilisation and then the return of the fertilised embryo to my wife's uterus to develop. I don't see any moral case for objecting to that.
As for screening to produce a particular sex or appearance, I have a little more concern about that but provided it is done correctly and not for cosmetic reasons, I can see a moral case for doing it. If for example, a couple have a genetic defect which can be screened out, I don't have a problem with that. If on the other hand for example, culturally people want to avoid conceiving girls and undertake screening on that basis, I do think there is a moral case against allowing that kind of choice.
Congratulations. Its great to learn of your success. As I mentioned above we had a number of attempts - six plus one implant of a frozen embryo but ultimately we failed.
Best wishes.
Oh I. V. F. Sorry, carry on.
: - )
I understand that argument but I don't buy it. There are many many other things that effect the size of the population. One of the primary ones being ignorance of or the social stigmatisation of contraception. A very small cohort of couples going through IVF makes virtually no difference to the world population growth.
So anything tha helps those who struggle to have kids is a good thing in my book.
Good point...however, the same could be said for mr and mrs joe blogs having 5 children via natural conception....(i.e. after a few bottles of wine and using the spray on condom)
There is a problem with too many people on this planet, and the population is starting to grow to much in this country (due to our size as much as anything)...
What would be peoples views be on capping the number of children that a couple can have?
Before embarking on the treatment, I used to get muddled up with Loyalist gangs. :-)
I'm not/haven't been in a position where the question was personal to me and I can't begin to imagine how difficult it is emotionally for couples who are desperate to have a child of their own, they have my utmost sympathy.
But i don't think having kids is a right, if you can't it's unfortunate but that's nature trying to control populations as it does with every animal. There are also other alternatives, even if they're not the same as having your own.
As i say, won't be popular, and if anybody is going through it then i genuinly wish them every success and happiness.
That was my point only much more succinctly put!
I'm not/haven't been in a position where the question was personal to me and I can't begin to imagine how difficult it is emotionally for couples who are desperate to have a child of their own, they have my utmost sympathy.
But i don't think having kids is a right, if you can't it's unfortunate but that's nature trying to control populations as it does with every animal. There are also other alternatives, even if they're not the same as having your own.
As i say, won't be popular, and if anybody is going through it then i genuinly wish them every success and happiness.[/quote]
But thats the same as saying that you wouldnt have life saving heart surgary, or you wouldnt take statins to reduce your cholesterol.....as dying via a heart attack/failure is nature's way of controlling populations....
I'm not/haven't been in a position where the question was personal to me and I can't begin to imagine how difficult it is emotionally for couples who are desperate to have a child of their own, they have my utmost sympathy.
But i don't think having kids is a right, if you can't it's unfortunate but that's nature trying to control populations as it does with every animal. There are also other alternatives, even if they're not the same as having your own.
As i say, won't be popular, and if anybody is going through it then i genuinly wish them every success and happiness.[/quote]
Nature trying to control populations......?......so applying the same thinking, if someone has cancer we should not treat them, same with heart transplants?
Cant say I agree.
Not to me it isn't. Using medicines, surgery, lifestyle etc is just an extention of eating and drinking, it's preserving life. Creating life is different.
My wife and I have adopted two children having first tried IVF. If you try and express things in terms for rights, you can get into real difficulties.
We wanted children, we couldn't (or were very unlikely to) conceive without assistance. Scientists had developed techniques to assist us in our desire. We were offered what was a mechanical manipulation of our natural bodily functions to assist us to have a child. I do not see that as a right to have children but it does offer a hitherto unavailable option.
In our case that failed after seven attempts. That is emotionally very difficult. If we had been told at the outset that we couldn't have children naturally, that would have been devastating but we would have lived with it. IVF just offers hope that wouldn't be there. That is fine by me.
I understand that creating life is different, but surely couples who are going through IVF, have more than likely given more thought to having children than the average couple, in some respects making them very responsible.
My wife and I have adopted two children having first tried IVF. If you try and express things in terms for rights, you can get into real difficulties.
We wanted children, we couldn't (or were very unlikely to) conceive without assistance. Scientists had developed techniques to assist us in our desire. We were offered what was a mechanical manipulation of our natural bodily functions to assist us to have a child. I do not see that as a right to have children but it does offer a hitherto unavailable option.
In our case that failed after seven attempts. That is emotionally very difficult. If we had been told at the outset that we couldn't have children naturally, that would have been devastating but we would have lived with it. IVF just offers hope that wouldn't be there. That is fine by me.[/quote]
Thats my only issue with IVF, is that is obviously it dosnt work 100% of the time, and can give couples false hope. I am sorry to hear of that story though, but at least you have given children a good home when they wouldnt normally otherwise have one.
Disagree with you completely. Creating and then preserving life are part of the same process in my eyes.
Potential life is created every day inside sexually mature adults. Most of the time the sex cells die, without conception. Sometimes they meet, conception takes place and then the embryo doesn't develop. Sometimes it does. All IVF is doing is creating an opportunity for those sex cells to meet, fertilise and be returned to the body. Its not artificially creating life, its merely giving an opportunity for life to be created naturally. We are not talking about gene manipulation here, or the works of Dr Frankenstein. We are just facilitating a natural process.
If you have been through IVF it is an emotional roller coaster and not a walk in the park and can be stressful and heartbreaking. If you come through the other side with a child from that then I'm sure youd feel truly blessed. I cant see how is unethical or wrong in anyway, shape or form.
Oh i didnt know you were. Lovely.