Article link: Local Dr. disagrees w/Nobel for IVF

[CT_Michele]

This article was in my local newspaper yesterday. It is a column written by a well-known local Dr. I was absolutely appalled reading it. Maybe because this Dr. has 5 children himself. I think I am writing my very first "letter to the editor." I will post my reply to Dr. Katz here once I cool down and finish an appropriate response. Is it just me, or am I right in being a little upset?

http://www.nhregister.com/articles/2010 ... 102510.txt

[JLY123]

This article is deplorable. First of all Nobel prizes are awarded for outstanding contributions to science and medicine. Regardless of whether or not the world is overpopulated, the science and technology of IVF is indubitably an outstanding contribution to science. Secondly, I wonder what type of physician Dr. Katz is? The purpose of practicing medicine it ultimately to cure people of their illnesses. No matter what specialty one practices the goal is to keep people alive. Perhaps we should suggest to Dr. Katz that he cease practicing medicine and helping people…after all, the world is overpopulated, might as well let the sick ones die.
I wonder how he’d feel if we took away his profession and income.

[CT_Michele]

Me reply, emailed to the editor. Was I too harsh? I hope not, but this article just really upset me. I tried to be as factual as possible, but I know my emotion came through.

To the editor:

I am not the type of person who would normally write to the editor, but I feel as though after reading Dr. Katz's opinion regarding the Nobel Prize in Medicine being awarded to the "Father of In-Virto Fertilization(IVF)" that I must respond.

I am very saddened to read that Dr. Katz feels as though the prize could have been awarded to someone else. When I heard the news of Dr. Robert G. Edwards winning the honor, I was elated. Finally, some recognition rather than bad publicity. When people hear the term IVF, they immediately think octomom and how horrible her situation was. Yes, her situation was extreme and wrong on many levels. But those rare occurences take the headlines rather than the success stories from so many others.

I am a success story myself. I am 29 years old and by all accounts, a reproductively healthy female. Unfortunately, my husband was told at a young age he would likely never be able to have children. So as a couple, we are infertile. We married, bought a house and after 5 years with no success, sought advice. We were told our only chance was to try IVF due to extrememly low sperm count. In the past 3 years, my life has been consumed by infertily and IVF. We were very lucky to be successful on our first attempt, and our beautiful daughter was born 2 years ago. After her birth, we started treatment all over again trying for a second child. Unfortunately, our next 2 attempts failed and we have been haulted by financial constraints.

I am plagued by infertility. But I do not let it define me. Many people will suffer in silence (more than 60% hide it from even their closest friends and family), but I choose to spread awareness to the best of my ability. I will continue to do everything in my power to pursue my dream of having children. I did not choose what I am faced with. Yes, one could argue that I did choose to marry my husband. Would it have been better if I cast him aside because of the way he was born? I was taught that is discrimination.

Dr. Katz, in your column you stated that you mean no personal offense to anyone as you have been confronted with infertily both among your patients and extended family, but you must have known in saying what you said you were gauranteed to personally offend people. The sad reality is that 1 in 8 couples will struggle with infertility. Over 1 million women will undergo treatment this year. Did you really think with those kind of numbers that you would not offend anyone? Honestly, it is like someone who makes derrogetory comments about a particular race then claiming they are not racist because they "have a friend of that race." Just because your 3rd cousin by marriage might have dealt with infertility does not mean that you even remotely understand what people like myself go through on a DAILY basis.

You talk a lot about IVF contributing to overpopulation. Infertilty is something that many people are born with or develop by no fault of their own, like a heart defect or cancer. Would you then deny a cancer patient treatment because we are just prolonging the inevitable, therefore causing our world to be more populated? Should we not operate on a child with a heart condition because the world is too populated anyway? Sounds absurd, right? I also must ask, is it true you have 5 children? If so, then when did this concern for overpopulation begin, before or after you had children?

In closing, I would just like to say to you Dr. Katz, that I do not blame you for your ignorance. But I do blame you for publicly sharing your harsh opinions when you can not possibly understand what it is like to be on my end. I would not take back anything I have been through because it has created such an appreciation for everything I have. Life has become so beautiful, only because of what Dr. Edwards has done for the world. Another octomom will surely come along and takeover the headlines once again causing people to scorn IVF, but just for a little while, can the millions of people who struggle with this disease please enjoy this moment?

[kizmet]

CT_Michele - Beautifully written response!

AFM - What an ignorant person this doctor is. As you point out Michele, he has FIVE children of his own! Whilst many would agree that the world is faced with overpopulation, a lot of this is attributed to developing countries where the education of women is so poor that they do not have the voice to say "No More Children for Me!". These developing countries have neither the resources nor the structure to support their growing populations and rely heavily on charity from more developed countries - we offer them food, fresh water and medical aid - we in some ways "enable" them. By providing for these children, more survive, more go on to have their own children. So should we, as members of developed, educated nations turn our backs on these people? No of course not! That would be inhumanity in its lowest form.

Overpopulation is not going to be solved by denying people in developed nations IVF treatment, the notion of that is ridiculous. I think the media plays an abhorrent role in the perception of IVF - as Michele said, Octomum grabbed an enormous amount of attention for deplorable reasons. The medical staff that allowed her to be impregnated with so many embryos have a lot to answer for and her own motivations are misguided at best. Most women who undergo IVF do not have 8 (or 14 or however many children that woman has), nor do they even aspire to so many. I think the majority of us would be grateful for the opportunity to be blessed with one and those of us lucky enough to have more will be eternally grateful for that gift. I know when I get the opportunity to meet our little Bean, I'll love that child with everything that I have and everything that I am. If that makes me unworthy to be a parent, then what on earth makes anyone worthy?

This doctor's take on overpopulation should be redirected - not focussed on denying IVF treatment to those of us that so desperately want a child of our own, but toward those that simply do not have the will, the brains or the strength to say no or to prevent themselves from getting pregnant in the first place. It's the education of women (in particular) in both developed and developing nations that is critical in checking overpopulation, not simply denying people who require it, medical support.

Sorry to ramble, this topic is a passion (overpopulation) having studied it at university!

[JLY123]

Excellent. I hope Dr. Katz gets the opportunity to read that.

[angelaezra]

CT_Michele - Wow … what an arrogant idiot! If he felt so strongly that the world is so overpopulated then why didn’t he decide to have fewer kids? The five that he has is a lot so I guess that he thinks his children are more important than other children! I know I wouldn’t like to be treated by a physician like him. I do like your response … great job!

Angela