As fertility rates around the world plummet due to many factors, I am excited to hear about the new fertility clinic to open soon. When people who want to begin their family find they have trouble conceiving, I am glad to know they will have experts who can help guide them. Although most perceive female infertility is the primary cause for infertility, studies have shown male factor infertility accounts for 40-50% of all cases. Fortunately, there are many methods used by reproductive endocrinologists to help overcome these obstacles. One such example, In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) involves the use of fertility enhancing drugs, from progesterone to estrogen, to human chorionic gonadotropin to stimulate the growth of multiple oocytes. The moral dilemma arises when the ovaries are over stimulated resulting in potentially an abundance of fertilized eggs. Although they make great headlines, pregnancies of triplets and beyond place both the mother and the pregnancy at high risk. Will you place a limit on the number of fertilized eggs that can be transferred to reduce the risk of a super multiple pregnancy?
What will your clinic’s policy be regarding the fertilized eggs that are not used? Will you freeze those that naturally grow to blastocysts? How long will you store the fertilized eggs? Who has the rights to the fertilized eggs?
