Maria del Carmen Bousada has died leaving her two-year-old twins without a parent. Normally, this is not the kind of story I would write about, but Ms. Bousada’s story is anything but ordinary.
A couple of years ago the resident of Madrid, Spain sold her house and paid a California fertility clinic to artificially inseminate her. In her applications Ms. Bousada told the clinic that she was 55 years old, but it turned out the single woman was really 66. Several months later she became the oldest woman to ever give birth. And, of course, the fertility treatments resulted in the creation of twins.
Readers of this blog know that I believe fertility treatments should be outlawed. While I know most people do not agree with my position I am hopeful that almost all of you will agree that fertility clinics must be more tightly regulated. Societies can not allow selfish people to make stupid decisions that negatively impact the lives of children and leave governments responsible for their care. As long as we are going to allow people to defy nature and create births where they are not intended we must do everything within our power to make sure they are limited to those who can prove they are likely to be able to care for their children without government assistance.
Tags: Associated Press, child birth, children, fertility, news, opinion, Spain
July 15, 2009 at 3:01 pm |
Wow, under your thought about 15% of all kids should never be born. My tax dollars are continually paying for people who are having children that they cannot afford to have. And then they live off of what ever tax programs they can get. Me as a person in society pays a lot of taxes to cover a lot of expenses for people less fortunate than I am at the moment. I am glad to assist someone like the story above only because that was not her plan and up until her passing she was caring for the children. Not everyone comes up with a plan to care for things… Many look for the hand outs previous to ever giving birth and then I have to support the parent who now cannot work because of a lot of other issues. And I get to feed and cloth the little one also. How many people would you harm that are reasonable people that take wonderful care of the children they are afforded by the help of this process. I can assure you that 99.9% of the children born in this manner are very well care for and planned for. I have to say I think you are wrong and worrying about the wrong thing
July 15, 2009 at 3:46 pm |
Roddyray, Thanks for your comment. It is true that many of the children born as a result of fertility treatments may be well cared for because wealthy Americans are the ones who have fertility treatments. But there are cases, like the Nadya Suleman case, where people get fertility treatments who have no business having children. Another reason why fertility treatments need to be outlawed is the over population in the world. The world, and America, have more people than we can care for. With all of the children who need homes it makes no sense to let people continue having children they were not meant to have.
July 16, 2009 at 5:37 am |
Make it illegal??? Certainly there should be (and are) some restraints and age limits – In this case the woman lied about her age and falsified documents – but those should be imposed by the medical boards and doctors, not lawmakers.
Make it illegal for everyone – that, sir, is offensive to me.
July 16, 2009 at 7:44 am |
I understand that my position offends many, but sometimes people have to be offended for us to advance society. Having said that, I recognize that public opinion will always disagree with me on this issue, but that does not mean this is a discussion we should be prevented from having. So far, no one has given me a reason that goes beyond selfishness as to why they need to have fertility treatments. The world has more people than it can care for now. Given that reality bringing children into the world that nature did not intend simply does not make sense. Just because medical advancements make something possible does not mean it is a technology that is useful for society. It may, of course, make some individuals happy, but policy must be set to benefit society as a whole.
July 17, 2009 at 4:40 am |
If you wanted to take Viagra to get it up … It would be none of my business. If you wanted to fix your big crooked nose, it would be none of my business.
Infertility is a disease.
Plain and simple.
Choosing fertility treatments to build families … that’s none of YOUR business.
I didn’t choose to have infertility. ART techniques allow me to have a shot at parenthood. To experience the dream of motherhood that so many people take for granted. Just because a few rotten apples spoil the bunch does not mean that ART should be shelved.
If you had cancer would you deny life saving treatments? Cancer is a disease – just like infertility. Those who experience infertility (1 in 8 couples in this country, by the way) are battling a disease with their reproductive organs and are seeing the medical treatment necessary to conceive children.
July 17, 2009 at 7:24 am |
The problem with comparing fertility treatments to cancer treatments is that fertility treatments create lives that are not already being lived. Cancer treatments, of course, save lives that are already being lived. Given the world’s over population we should not allow lives to be created that nature did not intend. Saving lives that are already here is a very different situation than creating new lives. Lastly, there are other ways a person can realize the dream of motherhood. Those who suppor fertility treatments are not only interested in being parents–they are interested in having their own biological children. Personally, I find that to be selfish. I do, however, feel bad for people who can not have children, but society can not afford to allow the problem to continue being solved. At the very least, insurance companies should stop paying for these expensive procedures.
July 31, 2009 at 8:46 pm |
Thanks so much for this post. As much as I feel for infertile people, I’m amazed at the arrogance. No one is entitled to reproduce. Infertility is not a disease, it’s part of the natural order. It would be terrible for our ecosystem if there was 100% fertility among living things. If it weren’t for the childless and childfree by choice, we would be in even more trouble.
The argument that, “I want a baby just like you have” irks me to the core. It’s terribly immature, and I don’t care how good one’s intentions are. Wanting something doesn’t mean you should have it. Most of us learned that in kindergarten. I just wish these people would stop trying to play the noble card and just own up to the truth: “I don’t want to be a parent so much as I want a biological child of my own.”
August 21, 2009 at 1:08 pm |
Jonathan,
“Nature” has intentions? Really? Wow. I assume you are speaking from a religious perspective (though not a compassionate one), because you aren’t speaking from a scientific one. If by the word “nature,” you mean the physical world, anthropomorphizing it – by giving it “intentions” – just weakens your argument.
Taye, Many organisms are close to 100% fertile (are physically able to reproduce), if they don’t leave progeny it can be due to many things – two examples are not living to reproductive maturity or having all of their offspring killed/eaten. Now dying in childhood/having your child die are also part of the “natural order,” but we arrogant human beings try to limit this through medical technology… despite over population. Perhaps, our sophisticated brains are also part of the “natural order.”
Yes, we as human beings are messing up the world. We may be overpopulated; we are definitely wasteful. If you look at this and decide not to reproduce, fine. If you look at yourself and realize that you would be a bad parent, and decide not to reproduce, fine. At least that is your choice, and I hope that no one decides to take away your right to make it. Perhaps you want me to call you noble for your choice?
Making selfish choices that negatively affect the world and the children in it – war, politically created famine, pollution, social oppression – yes all of these should be outlawed. Correcting a blocked fallopian tube or taking medication to help an endocrine problem – outlawed? Because, as you know so much about infertility, these are common treatments. Not all people end up using IUI and IVF which I agree need to be regulated more closely and have the profit incentives for doctors decreased.