Friday 15 February 2008

Rising infertility rates

You may have heard, or read, today that infertility is expected to rise in the future due to the fact that so many couples with fertility problems are having IVF babies, and that this may create another generation of fertility problems. It has led to comment along the familiar lines that those of us with fertility problems should not seek treatment, but instead accept it as our fate. This always seems the strangest argument to me, as followed to a logical conclusion, it surely implies that no one should seek treatment for any medical condition.

It is true that the editorial in the British Medical Journal does discuss whether those with genetic factors causing their infertility risk passing them on if they have children by IVF, but it would be wrong to assume that everyone having IVF has a genetic cause for their fertility problem.

In fact, most of the editorial is focused on the need for more research into the causes of infertility, and particularly the environmental causes - certainly something most of us would welcome. You can read the editorial for yourself here

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