REASONS TO BE CAUTIOUS ABOUT FERTILITY TREATMENT
We are going against nature with assisted conception techniques like IVF because the body is being asked to mature a great number of eggs in one cycle. (Normally only two at the most would ever be released at the same time.)
The question which is often asked, and rightly so, is: what are the long-term effects of taking these drugs on you and the baby that is conceived? And what are the effects if you have 12 attempts at IVF in an effort to conceive a child?
These questions are not easy to answer at the moment because the first baby born from IVF is only 21. In fact no drugs were used at all to achieve that first success. It was just done with the woman’s natural cycle, taking the one egg that was produced. The doctors had used drugs before with their other unsuccessful IVF patients but felt that this was hindering the success of the treatment.
At the moment it is not easy to say what the long-term effect on the ‘test tube babies’ will be, because they are still growing up. We do not yet know what effects the drugs will have on their fertility, for example.
It stands to reason that bombarding the ovaries with drugs like clomiphene is likely to have a long-term effect on the mother, however. The ovaries are being stimulated in a totally unnatural way and concerns have been expressed about the risk of ovarian cancer. At least one high-profile victim, the late fashion editor Liz Tilberis, believed that her disease was linked in some way to fertility treatments she had had years before.
Ovarian cancer is called the ‘silent disease’ because it is not usually detected until it is well advanced. There are two theories as to the natural cause of ovarian cancer. One is that each time a woman ovulates there is damage to the surface of the ovary which eventually triggers cancer. This is backed up by research which shows that women who ovulate less, such as those who have quite a few pregnancies and also breastfeed, have a lower rate of ovarian cancer. The other theory is that ovarian cancer is triggered by exposure to gonadotrophin hormones which are also used in IVF treatment.
The scientific results are not conclusive and more long-term research needs to be done. Some studies show that there is an increased risk of ovarian cancer for women who have undergone fertility treatment. Others show no risk.
It is wise to be cautious about any fertility treatments you are offered. They should be regarded as a last resort, once you have really tried the alternatives outlined in this book.
Fertility treatments may involve heavy doses of drugs as well as invasive medical procedures. They can be embarrassing and uncomfortable, and can certainly put a strain on your relationship with your partner. They are by no means an easy option, and that is something to think about and weigh up if you are concerned that following my Four-Month Preconception Plan is too demanding.
If you are in your twenties or early thirties you have enough time to complete the Four-Month Plan and wait a few months for the improvements in your health and fertility to become established. What have you got to lose?
If you are older you should start having tests earlier but, by following the Four-Month Plan, you will be in much better shape whatever choices you finally make.
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