Another Multiple Birth Story

[asta]

I am so tired of these stories about women giving birth to multiples that were caused or assisted by medical techniques. Just saw a report on the Today show of a woman who delivered mutliple babies. They made a point of saying that this situation was different because the mother only took drugs that probably caused the multiples, she didn't have embryos implanted like those other multiples we hear about. And to top it off this mother already had twins. I think these situations should not be newsworthy. Medical science can do many things and this is the issue here, not that this is a miracle of nature.

 

[wvjules]

I am so tired of these stories about women giving birth to multiples that were caused or assisted by medical techniques. Just saw a report on the Today show of a woman who delivered mutliple babies. They made a point of saying that this situation was different because the mother only took drugs that probably caused the multiples, she didn't have embryos implanted like those other multiples we hear about. And to top it off this mother already had twins. I think these situations should not be newsworthy. Medical science can do many things and this is the issue here, not that this is a miracle of nature.

So what do you suggest they do? Not have children? Selective Reduction? What, in your opinion, are their options?

 

[KAMKIM]

I am so tired of these stories about women giving birth to multiples that were caused or assisted by medical techniques. Just saw a report on the Today show of a woman who delivered mutliple babies. They made a point of saying that this situation was different because the mother only took drugs that probably caused the multiples, she didn't have embryos implanted like those other multiples we hear about. And to top it off this mother already had twins. I think these situations should not be newsworthy. Medical science can do many things and this is the issue here, not that this is a miracle of nature.

It is so rare that multiple birthday occur....sometimes these drugs are their only option to having a child, or another child.

 

[mickeyboat]

Advances in medical science have created a whole host of ethical concerns that human kind will probably never agree upon.

What is your solution?

 

[nmmom95]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought that the OP was taking issue with seeing multiple births as a news story, not with the need for fertility treatments.

 

[TerriP]

Oops...double post!

 

[TerriP]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought that the OP was taking issue with seeing multiple births as a news story, not with the need for fertility treatments.

If you're mistaken, that makes two of us...I read the OP's message as an issue of if these stories are news worthy, not if fertility drugs should be used.

And, in that vein, no I do not think these stories are news worthy. They are becoming fairly common...a dime a dozen (pun intended...ba dum bum!).

 

[daughtersrus]

I also thought that it was because this is considered "news".

 

[SaraJayne]

If you're mistaken, that makes two of us...I read the OP's message as an issue of if these stories are news worthy, not if fertility drugs should be used.

And, in that vein, no I do not think these stories are news worthy. They are becoming fairly common...a dime a dozen (pun intended...ba dum bum!).

I agree they aren't newsworthy.

Multiples are everywhere now...there isn't anything special about being a multiple now (in regards to being unique).

When I was a child, we had one set of twins in our entire school...for all 13 years. Now, multiples are everywhere.

My children's school (K-12) has five sets of twins, three sets of triplets and a set of quads (our neighbors). And it's a small town.

 

[Colleen27]

So what do you suggest they do? Not have children? Selective Reduction? What, in your opinion, are their options?

Responsible medicine combined with a patient willing to follow medical advice would eliminate the vast majority of these cases, but too many people are throwing caution and common sense to the wind because of emotion or expense.

I think it is sad that so many people are so determined to become biological parents that they're willing to take the risk of higher order multiples and all the problems inherent to that rather than think of the well being of the potential child(ren) and risk never conceiving.

 

[mickeyboat]

But the OP didn't just say that multiple births shouldn't make news, she brought her judgement of infertility treatments into the debate.

And while the risks of multiples using infertility treatments is higher than conceiving the old fashioned way, it is still pretty miniscule - especially the risk of higher order multiples. Should we deny parents the ability to conceive biological children on the slight chance there would be more than one?

 

[disykat]

I had my prescription for fertility drugs waiting when I finally found out I was pregnant with my second. If I had taken them and been one of the small percentage who ended up with multiples, I would have had the babies and welcomed them. The LAST thing I would have wanted was media involvement. However, since people are interested in multiples, it would have been inevitable. Personally, I like to be annonymous so I think being so noticable would have been the hardest thing about having multiples. Being on the news would be the least of it, you'd be noticed wherever you went!

If the media knows people are interested in a certain topic, they cover it.

 

[RitaE]

Exactly what the others said. The vast majority of couples seeking these treatments end up with one baby ... maybe twins. Responsible medical science plus responsible parents to be are the key.

I think our "oh isn't that adorable let's give them a tv show and treat them like celebrities" society is probably more to blame than medical science.

The Gosselins only took drugs. Then her Doctors told her that her ovaries overstimulated that cycle and refused to inseminate her due to the risk of a high multiple pregnancy. She ignored their advice and went home with her husband --- to have unprotected sex. That certainly was not the fault of her fertility specialists.

 

[ols386]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but I thought that the OP was taking issue with seeing multiple births as a news story, not with the need for fertility treatments.

I thought this was the purpose of the post also.

 

[Laura]

I thought this was the purpose of the post also.

Me too. These are not the days of natural high order multiples any more, so going gaga over quintuplets or whatever has gotten old.

 

[asta]

OP here. The intent of my post was to comment on how unnewsworthy it is to report on another one of these multiple births caused by using medical assistance. I particularly thought it was interesting that the story wanted to point out that this mother had only taken fertility drugs, that she had not had to undergo embryo implantation. It was like they thought this made their situation more newsworthy. To me, the uniqueness is gone when medicine has intervened to cause the multiple birth.

I did not mean to be critical of fertility treatments in general.

 

[Colleen27]

But the OP didn't just say that multiple births shouldn't make news, she brought her judgement of infertility treatments into the debate.

And while the risks of multiples using infertility treatments is higher than conceiving the old fashioned way, it is still pretty miniscule - especially the risk of higher order multiples. Should we deny parents the ability to conceive biological children on the slight chance there would be more than one?

No, but we should expect responsibility on the part of both doctor and parents, and quit rewarding irresponsibility and recklessness with reality shows, media attention, and freebies.

 

[MM27]

I agree they aren't newsworthy.

Multiples are everywhere now...there isn't anything special about being a multiple now (in regards to being unique).

When I was a child, we had one set of twins in our entire school...for all 13 years. Now, multiples are everywhere.

My children's school (K-12) has five sets of twins, three sets of triplets and a set of quads (our neighbors). And it's a small town.

I have three sets of twins this year. We are departmentalized and they put one from each set in my class and the other one in my partner's class. We have one boy-boy set and two boy-girl sets. It actually works out nicely because the parents only have to see two teachers instead of four.

 

[Aisling]

I thought this was the purpose of the post also.

Me, too. And I agree...it ain't news anymore.

 

[Mrs. Charming]

I'm about to start my journey of fertility drugs (past the Clomid stage) and I'm aware of the risk of multipes. That said, I would be MORTIFIED if I (and my children) became a news story! I would take my children and hide under a rock.