"If someone came in and wanted to transfer six embryos...we have an obligation to protect the patient and not let [them] do things that are unreasonable." - Dr. Daniel Potter, director of the Huntington Reproductive Center

This quote shows that if the government set actual laws and regulations in I.V.F., doctors would HAVE to do what is best for the patient. Because there are currently only guidelines rather than tight regulations, doctors have more opportunities to avoid their ethical obligation to watch out for the patient's health, despite their requests.

"It is healthier to implant only one embryo, even if it means the process has to be repeated because of the risks of multiple births." - Stephanie Saul, New York Times. This statement reflects the 2008 I.V.F. guidelines from the government

"Doctors are selling a product and their patients are so vulnerable." - Peggy Orenstein, New York Times. Peggy went through the I.V.F. process, and can relate to the desperation that comes along with trying to get pregnant. She relatest to that vulnerability and understands that doctors could easily use it to their advantage.

"I find it a huge ethical failure that she was even accepted as a patient." - Dr. Caplan, bioethicist from UPenn. Dr. Caplan discusses how Suleman already had six children and couldn't handle the costs of 14 children.

"No laws restrict the number of embryos that can be placed in a mother's womb, but fertility doctors generally abide by guidelines." - Randal C. Archibold, New York Times. This quote is evidence of the simple lack of structure in the I.V.F. world. The word "generally" is also used. This means that there are some doctors who do NOT follow the guidelines. Dr. Michael Kamrava, who implanted six embryos in Nadya Suleman, is just one example.

"This newly hatched technology is nto just a branch of medicine; it's a market tand ought to be treated as such." - Peggy Orenstein, NYT. This point comes from a book "The Baby Business" by Debora Spar. It serves as evidence that with the current loose regulations, patients cannot let their guard down to vulnerability. If tighter restrictions were made, the market wouldn't be so business-like; patients would not have to be so worried about being conned.

Blog #4

Subtopic 2: The Financial Woes/Financial Assistance

A single round of in vitro fertilization costs about 10,000 dollars. Such an expense can take a toll on the given family. If multiples develop, then the financial woes are yet again heightened. People who are unemployed, or already have many children before undergoing IVF, have barely any means of supporting their children, except through donations and government assistance. In our current economy, the government should not be spending millions per year on IVF babies. With tighter regulations on the embryos implanted and on who is allowed to undergo the treatment in the first place, people would avoid poverty and the government would not have to provide assistance.

The opposite side may say that BECAUSE the in vitro is so expensive, mothers should implant as many embryos as possible in order to guarantee pregnancy in one round. Doing so would greatly increase the chance of multiples and therefore heighten health risks and financial issues.


Subtopic 3: Corrupt Doctors/Competition Among Doctors

New York and California have an abundance of IVF doctors; so abundant that IVF has basically become a market, or a competition, among doctors. Each doctor strives to get their pregnancy rates up so more people come to THEM for the treatment. The opposite side may argue that it is heartwarming and ethically correct for doctors to strive to help those who cannot get pregnant on their own, but it is not so heartwarming to realize that some doctors are implanting more embryos than necessarily needed in hopes of seeing multiples, a sure way to increase their practice's pregnancy rates. Kamrava, the doctor of the octuplets, is the perfect example. There needs to be regulations in IVF in order to reduce these corrupt doctors. Because there are no laws on how many embryos can be implanted, only guidelines, it becomes difficult to monitor which doctors are doing what.

Subtopic 4: Similar to Adoption

Adoption is another alternative to infertility. But one could definitely argue that the path to adoption is a much more winding road than IVF. Qualifications must be met before a couple (and yes, I do believe it has to be a couple) can adopt a child from any country. IVF should have similar qualifications that need to be met. I honestly believe that even those who naturally conceive should have to pass certain parental qualifications, but that is another subject. If one is so desperate to have a child of their own, one needs to prove that they are qualified to be a parent. An emotionally unstable/financially unstable/unstable in general person should not be permitted to undergo IVF because they will not be able to properly provide for their child, just as potential-adoptive parents may not be qualified to provide for a child.

The opposite side may argue that if a couple or an individual can pay to undergo the treatment, they are entitled to it no matter other circumstances. There aren't any restrictions on naturally conceiving children, so why should there be for IVF parents? If IVF parents are so desperate for a child and would like to be a parent then they will strive to meet the necessary qualifications.