• Question: both are you are left so what do you think of ivf is it good or bad?

    Asked by paigeemmadownesisgay to Akshat, Gemma on 24 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Gemma Sharp

      Gemma Sharp answered on 24 Jun 2011:

      Hiya 🙂 I was hoping we’d get some new questions on our last day!

      I have mixed feelings on IVF. On the one hand I think it’s really good that we can offer couples who are having trouble conceiving a chance to have a baby. From a purely scientific point of view, I think it’s fantastic.
      But, actually there is an increased chance of multiple pregnancy (twins, triplets etc) with IVF, and multiple pregnancies can be bad news for the mother and the babies (see http://ias.im/37.1057). There’s also a higher risk of the woman developing a condition called Polycystic Ovary Syndrome, and that can be fatal.

      From a purely personal point of view, I don’t think people should spend loads of their money on IVF (it’s really expensive and patients often have to pay themselves). There are loads of lovely children waiting to be adopted, so if people are having trouble conceiving and have tried IVF but failed then I think they should consider adoption as an alternative.

      About this time last year I went for a few interviews to be a clinical embryologist, who’s basically the scientist that makes the babies in IVF, but I didn’t take the jobs in the end because I thought I’d end up recommending adoption to too many parents! The clinic probably wouldn’t have liked me doing that!

      Thanks for the question 🙂

    • Photo: Akshat Rathi

      Akshat Rathi answered on 24 Jun 2011:

      I think it is good. There are certainly some problems with it (such as multiple babies at time) but overall it has done a lot of good to our society.

      But as Gemma said, I think it might be good thing if to be parents adopt children instead.

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