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Abortion of “Excess” Babies Common with IVF

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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