IVF embryos being discarded at “industrial” rate
Official statistics show that almost half of embryos used to help women conceive through in vitro fertilization (IVF) were thrown away during or after the process….
Since August 1991 more than 3.5 million human embryos have been created, producing only 235,480 “gestational sacs” or evidence of successful implantation. Of the embryos created, almost 840,000 were put into storage for future use and more than 2000 were stored for donation. Almost 5,900 were set aside for scientific research.
Almost 1.4 million embryos were implanted in the hope of beginning pregnancies, with fewer than one in six resulting in a pregnancy.
Nearly 1.7 million were discarded unused and a further 23,480 were discarded after being taken out of storage….
Lord [David] Alton [of Liverpool]… said last night that embryos were being created and thrown away in “industrial” numbers.
He added: “It happens on a day-by-day basis with casual indifference. This sheer destruction of human embryos – most people would not know that it took place on such a scale.”
~ Andrew Hough, The Telegraph, December 31
[HT: Bioethics.com; photo via StarStuddedSuperStep]
Jill Stanek is a nurse turned speaker, columnist and blogger, a national figure in the effort to protect both preborn and postborn innocent human life.
For all of our talk about progress, enlightenment, advancement, etc., our civilization has oddly during the 20th century and beyond been the loudest voice for the rights of man and the most utterly abusive of them. Abortion is the great destroyer of peace, because it tells us we can destroy another human being to get what we want.
Because they are so small and don’t have recognizable features, how easy it must be for abortion advocates to think they are products instead of people. How disturbing.
Let’s not forget that the potential parents are the ones thinking of these embryos as products. They’re paying astronomical fees for a biological product. They want what they can get (whatever will implant) in order to obtain the “perfect” family and feel entirely entitled to discard the product they don’t want (too many would jeopardize the “perfect” family). And how much money are IVF doctors raking in? If I had it all to do again, I’d have been an IVF doc or cosmetic surgeon. Never underestimate the power of people’s vanity.
It is so incredibly sad and so ignored by most…but true evidence of the commodification of life. I sincerely wonder how the couples who were “successful” will describe this phenomenon to their children.
This is mind-boggling to me. The wanton destruction of human life aside, think of the enormous waste of resources (time, money, dedication) represented here!
A decade ago, I considered donating eggs to help pay for college (they would have paid me $10,000), but changed my mind when I researched what is required–the process is very invasive and really messes up the donor’s body! I know women who have donated their eggs, and they’re really proud of it to this day; they believe their precious eggs went to help another woman who desperately wanted a baby, but wouldn’t they be horrified to hear stats like this! “I went through all that hormonal hell, just to have the egg fertilized and eventually discarded like garbage?!?!”