Monday, February 23, 2009

Fertility Clinics Out of Control

David Gushee, a professor of Christian ethics at Mercer University stated: "In January, a California woman named Nadya Suleman, gave birth to octuplets through in vitro fertilization." These 8 babies joined their  6 other siblings who she had also conceived through the in vitro procedure. This is an extreme example of a growing trend. The reproductive technology industry is booming, with over 130,000 procedures and 50,000 births a year, up from around 65,000 procedures and just below 20,000 births, a little over 10 years ago.

Almost 90 % of in vitro procedures involve transferring more than one embryo. This, in many instances, has given rise to the increase in multiple births. And multiple births have given rise to an increased cost in health care for these babies, and health consequences due to low birth and various disabilities. Many times the embryo is discarded and not implanted in the woman's which results in the death of an unborn baby. Or the multiple embryos, not implanted, are frozen, leaving them prisoners in a frozen concentration camp.  

The reproductive-technology industry is almost entirely un-regulated. Most of the regulations are framed as guidelines, and not enforced by the law. 

This entire industry is responsible for children being viewed as a commodity.  They are mere product choices cereal boxes on a store shelf.  Or, if the embryo is frozen, it becomes a mere product choice of a frozen confection. This reduces humanity to consumerism at it's worst.     

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