Politics
Tuesday July 4, 2006
Abortion of “Excess” Babies Common with IVF
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By Gudrun Schultz
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&ran=201086
See LifeSiteNews coverage of the loss of life and medical risks of IVF:
http://www.lifesite.net/features/invitro/
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