With many couples waiting until they are older and more established to have children, there has been an increase in fertility treatments and drugs. These drugs and treatments grant many couples the miracle of having their own child. Like all drugs and treatments, there is the potential of negative effects of fertility treatments and drugs.
Since fertility drugs have come into being and increased popularity, there have been rumors that they can cause ovarian cancer in women. This rumor, for the most part, has been put to rest. While it may be gone, there is still the possibility since there are risks with altering the hormones in one's body all the time.
The bigger risk from fertility drugs is the possibility of multiple births. Multiple births pose a risk to the health of the mother as well as each baby. When there are multiple babies at once, each baby is going to be smaller than the baby would be if born alone.
Multiple babies are born smaller to start. Another disadvantage for these babies is that they are born typically following a shorter pregnancy. The body just cannot support six children for the full forty weeks. This not only means that the babies will be born smaller but also earlier in their development. It is not uncommon for multiples to have extended stays at hospitals because various parts of them are not developed to the point that they can live on their own.
When babies are born small and early, they are much more susceptible to various conditions as a result of being born so early. Any baby born early is susceptible to cerebral palsy, vision problems, and a wide variety of other ailments. Multiples are not only born early but much smaller and so are even more likely to have problems.
The health of the mother is also at risk with multiples. Not only do they increase the odds of muscle tears, but multiple babies put a much greater strain on all of the body's systems, particularly the heart. High blood pressure is a serious threat to individuals who have multiples.
As a result of the host of potential problems, there are a number of ethical guidelines fertility specialists are not supposed to cross. They are supposed to recommend the lowest dosages possible of any fertility treatments in an effort to reduce the number of multiples.
Unfortunately, some doctors do not heed the recommendations of their organizations and the drug makers. These doctors put the lives of their patients and the patients' children at risk by ignoring recommendations. This is simply unethical.
The Better Mix.
