Birth Defects Tied to Fertility Techniques

Birth Defects Tied to Fertility Techniques

www.nytimes.com

Infants conceived with techniques commonly used in fertility clinics are two to four times more likely to have certain birth defects than are infants conceived naturally, a new study has found.

The findings applied to single births only, not to twins or other multiples. The defects included heart problems, cleft lip, cleft palate and abnormalities in the esophagus or rectum. But those conditions are rare to begin with, generally occurring no more than once in 700 births, so the overall risk was still low, even after the fertility treatments. Cleft lip, for instance, typically occurs in 1 in 950 births in the United States, and the study found that the risk about doubled, to approximately 1 in 425, among infants conceived with the fertility treatments.

The procedures that increased the risk were so-called assisted reproductive techniques, like in vitro fertilization, which require doctors and technicians to work with eggs and sperm outside the body. The study did not include women who only took fertility drugs and did not have procedures performed.

“I think it is important for couples to consider the fact that there may be a risk for birth defects,” said Jennita Reefhuis, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the first author of the study, which was published online on Sunday by the journal Human Reproduction.

But Dr. Reefhuis (pronounced REEF-house) also said that although her study linked fertility procedures to birth defects, it did not prove the connection or explain it. If the connection is real, it is not known whether the procedures increase the risk for birth defects, or whether infertility itself raises the risk.

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[edit on 17-11-2008 by rapinbatsisaltherage]

This is interesting and depressing news. So many couples try hard to have a child, preferably a healthy one. Now some may shy away from fertility treatments that could be their only hope because of this new discovery. It makes me increasingly upset at the flawed adoption system in America, it can be easy for some but it will cost you a pretty penny. I also wish instead of seeking “shiny” new babies that more people would be willing to adopt children from the foster care system, which is a lot less costly.

Still, I understand a couples’ desire to have a baby of their own. Hopefully this discovery will not scare couples away from fertility treatment; at least until the connection is proven or explained. I find it odd that the defects were not linked to twins or multiples, only singles.


www.nytimes.com
(visit the link for the full news article)

Birth Defects Tied to Fertility Techniques

You have so many things that can go wrong with a baby. I mean if its not the fertlilty drugs making ill effects, then its the food you eat.
Or prehaps the other types of drugs a large percent of women put into their bodies.
Now Im not one to judge, but over all in my life I have seen many many women that I know get pregnent and keep on using drugs.
And they are somehow shocked that when the baby is born it comes out not so right..
I just know that there are so many drugs in this world now a days, that we have all lost sight of what its like to live in a day before a time when most the people of this world only had minor access to drugs.

In this day and age, access to drugs is very easy.. We live in a free nation where a pregnent lady can get in her car and drive into the hood and buy some crack. As long as she is not pulled over and busted she will get away with it. Drinking, smoking, you name it, and its out there.
The drugs in this society have such a strong hold over us as a people.
I dont think we realize the scope of this issue yet. Some of us do.
Some of us have fought all our lives to fight drugs addiction. And some of us have done everything to get that next fix.
I think a large part of it is now being tied into our DNA, our bodies are starting to mutate becasue of all the massive drug use in this world.

I belive this study has alot of work to do, to make sure they are not over looking the unsaid truths about this world, and drug use by almost everyone in this world.
We are a world full of drugs.. And we as a people have been using drugs since a very young age of soceity.
I think this study should look at the overall effects of not just fertility drugs, but all the drugs we enjest daily just to get by.

Also now a days on the TV, they say how everything will kill you.. How everything has its ill effects.. Then someone else says no its okay to use this or that...

Doctors these days pass out drugs like candy.. Big Pharma companies use us all as their lab Rats.. And IM sure this is just another test comming from big Pharma.. I dont trust them..

And if and when I do have a child, its not me holding the child, But the woman I would have a child with, I would make sure that they are drug free at the time.. Do what ever after wards.. But the more you put into your body.. The more effect it will have on your children down the road.

Lets say a woman smokes crack when she was younger.. And gets into drugs heavy. Then after a few years gets clean, gets her life back on track. Has a child.. There is still a very high chance that child will become effected by all those drugs she once did..
The children are part of you.. They are spawn from your body..
What ever you put in, is what you will put out..

Peace

Most of the stuff you say is common sense; whatever a human or animal does when they are pregnant effects the fetus in either a good way or a bad way depending on what is done.

Everything a person does at any point in time can come back and hurt them; you could have did something when you were 10 years old and come 30 years later and that same issue pops up.