Thursday, September 25, 2008

What Do with Frozen Embryos?

Thousands of individuals and couples face the dilemma of what to do with the unused frozen embryos after they have completed their family or either decided to stop IVF treatment and build their family using other means. One couple I talked to has three children and 17 frozen embryos on ice. The couple do not want to destroy them or adopt them to another couple and they think they want to donate them to medical research, but two after after speaking with them on this subject, their embryos are on still on ice in the IVF physician's office.

Like the mother in this article, I did not have to face those difficult decisions because I did not have any frozen embryos left. However, I worked with a couple who thought, like the couple in the article, that they would donate their embryos to another couple struggling with their fertility. Fast-forward 2 years and the couple panicked when the IVF center actually found a recipient couple who wanted their embryos. The donor couple was finished having their children (twins) but they couldn't donate what they thought of as their children to another couple they didn't know. They backed out of the program and the recipient couple found another couple that donated their embryos to them.

Frozen Embryo Dilemma http://tinyurl.com/45l4lz

Tuesday, September 23, 2008

Trista Sutter To Appear At Gala To Benefit Couples Struggling With Infertility

The original "Bachelorette" to appear at a gala benefiting couples struggling with infertility. Infertility is incredibly isolating so I applaud Trista for giving her time to couples and individuals who are struggling with their fertility. The money raised will allow the Embracing Hope Grant to provide $10,000 toward infertility costs to one very lucky recipient.

Information on the Embracing Hope Infertility Grant and the event http://tinyurl.com/4poqyp

Wednesday, September 10, 2008

Men Having Babies: Single Hollywood Power Gays

According to www.radaronline.com, the newest Hollywood accessory is the "Gaybie" as more gay single men are having children. While I do not like labeling children, I applaud men who have a strong desire to have a child and are not in a committed relationship. And like the article states, the men are coming to California where surrogacy is legal for gay or straight single men. Unlike Clay Aiken, who had a willing friend help him have his child, most men will need a surrogate and egg donor, which is expensive. But, like the article states, these men have the means -- and the desire to create a family.

Please find the complete article here: http://radaronline.com/features/2008/09/clay_aiken_ricky_martin_surrogate_mothers_babies_gaybies.php

Tuesday, September 09, 2008

59 Year Old Gives Birth To Triplets in France

How old is too old? I am not here to judge, but I do work with IVF physicians who are appalled when a 50-year-old woman wants to become a mother, let alone a 59-year-old woman.

Besides age and egg donation, this article also highlights France's strict laws regarding third-party parenting. It is illegal to provide fertility treatments to a woman past natural reproductive age. What is age is natural? While 59 is probably past "natural" woman in their early 50s have been known to naturally have children.

Complete article is at this link: