Do you find this insulting?

[BellyBelly]

Dear all,

I have been asked by a journalist:

There is a rumour that Angelina Jolie's twins are IVF babies and that she is actually perfectly fertile - but wanted twins so ordered them via IVF.

I'd like to hear what the women with genuine IVF cases think of this - I'd imagine it is very insulting.

There is a definite trend towards twins at the moment - a lot of the Hollywood mums are doing it! but according to Dr Michael Chapman of IVF Australia, twins are strongly discouraged because of the high risks associated.

Would love to hear people's thoughts..... also please be aware that comments may be used as a news story in a newspaper, so we'd really love to hear how you feel about this.

[Curly]

The Hello interview with Brad and Angelina is in this week's New Idea.

Question: There's been a lot of speculation that your twins were conceived through IVF. Can you tell us a little more about this?

Angelina: If they had been conceived through IVF we would have been happy to discuss it. But we have been fortunate never to have had fertility problems.

[BeautifulMadness]

so i posted i do find it insuslting...reason being it seems to me that she didnt wnna bother doing it the old fashioned way and get what you are given. but i dont need IVF tho...but if she is percectly able to convinced naturaly...why waste the resources?

[M22]

hey kel,

i was also read that if the were IVF they she would have told people- but she's saying they were not IVF??
she also said she is blessed to be able to concieve naturally??

[Junglemum]

It is only speculation that she had IVF. I therefore don't feel right speculating about how that makes me feel. If it is was proven, then i would feel much more comfortable discussing the issue.

[Curly]

Just to add to my post quoting the Brangelina interview...

I think it's important to get the facts straight here before getting all worked up over nasty gossip. So I have not voted in the poll.

I personally would be insulted if I had had twins and people assumed they were IVF - as happened to someone I know. She was fed up with people asking her "Twins? Are they natural?"

[Kitt3n]

angelina or not (dont really care if they used it or not, doesnt affect my life!!), I do know people who have to go through the hell of IVF and I do find it silly that anyone would put themselves through this if there weren't a need.

Just one step closer to desinger babies - or two at once for convenience sakes.

[Aimz]

I don't think we should be using them as an example as the IVF twins were a rumour and I do believe that she would have been open about it if it had been done through IVF (what has she got to lose).

[Curly]

Will IVF clinics actually agree to treat a fertile couple? Does infertility have to be "proven" (for want of a better word) before a couple can undergo treatment?

[Shannon22]

I personally wouldn't be too quick to believe "the word", but if this is the case i think it is insulting to twin parents IVF or otherwise and IVF couples.
I am proud to say my twins are IVF because i went through a lot to get them, however it is frustrating when people comment negatively regarding IVF twins. Just as i would imagine any woman feels when questioned how her children were created, people and the media obviously feel like they have the right to ask the question with multiples when they wouldn't think twice about most singleton pregnancies.

[briggsy's girl]

i think, Brangelina and the media "speculation" of their situation aside, the thought that ANY couple would choose to do IVF just to have twins is ridiculous and damned insulting to anyone that has to go through assisted conception at all. Labelling IVF as the "easy" way smacks of ignorance on the part of the media - and perpetuates the myth that IVF isn't hard. it's physically and emotionally one of the hardest experiences you can live through, and media BS over ANY celebrity taking the "easy way out" minimises the experiences of the rest of us in the eyes of the general public. irresepective of the provability of the rumour, it is out there, and it has sparked public interest and debate. WHY the media think it's OK to label IVF treatment as "easy" is beyond me - and shows just how out of touch with reality these people really are...



FWIW, you don't HAVE to be infertile to go through fertlity treatment - same sex couples, single women - they don't need to be infertile at all - but a lot of the government subsidies (medicare etc in Australia) don't necessarily apply to them so the financial cost is a lot higher. in the case of mega stars, this obviously isn't going to be a drama... but really, who are the media - or the public in general - to pass judgement on HOW a child is created?

[suse]

I would imagine that in the US clinics treat anyone who is able to fork over the cash.

Whether Brad & Angelina did in fact use IVF is irrelevant, I don't see the harm in discussing it as a hypothetical.

I don't find it insulting that a fertile couple would choose to go through IVF unnecessarily (although I do wonder at anyone who perceives it as a 'convenience'), although I do believe that they should either pay a premium to allow more resources to be allocated to genuine needs cases, or not receive any Medicare rebates and under no circumstances be given priority treatment over those in need.

I don't see it as an ethical issue in the same way the concept of 'designer babies', as having two babies at once by choice seems vastly different to the future implications of either modifying or rejecting genetic material to enhance 'desirable' traits or remove perceived 'undesirable' traits.

However, I have not been down the IVF path so my perspective might be completely different to those who have.

[BellyBelly]

I am not playing on gossip - what I actually asked in the poll was:

IVF in healthy couples for the sole purpose of twins - do you find it insulting?

Not, do yout think it's true or not....

[Junglemum]

Maybe it was just the way you worded your post......

The word is that Angelina Jolie's twins are IVF babies and that she is actually perfectly fertile - but wanted twins so ordered them via IVF.

I'd like to hear what the women with genuine IVF cases think of this - I'd imagine it is very insulting.

[Mum2Princess]

I dont have conception issues but I dont find it insulting.
I think that if someone has the desire to have twins bad enough to go through the ordeal of IVF then it is their wish.

[BellaBee]

I don't find it insulting, i find it strange that a couple who can conceive naturally would willingly go down the path of ivf just to have a higher chance of conceiving twins, triplets etc. Its odd but not an insult, to me anyway.

[Pandora]

I dont find it insulting, but i do understnd why people could. I think its strange that someone would put themselves through that sort of emotional rollercoaster if they could conceive naturally.

[briggsy's girl]

i think there is a genuine lack of understanding about IVF processes out there. in most cases in Australia, fertility specialists will strongly discourage the transfer of two embryos - and some will outright refuse. its not easy to convince them to transfer two - especially in a younger mum-to-be. there is generaly a history of failed cycles behind that patient before the FS will support the transfer of more than one embryo. i doubt, in Australia, that there would be too many FS' that would allow a multiple embryo transfer to a patient with no proven history of infertility or failed cycles

taking the celebrity and media factor out of the equation - i still find it insulting that an otherwise healthy, fertile couple would choose IVF to have twins, over natural conception which may result in a singleton/twins or more. i also pity anyone that chooses to go down that path with the misguided notion that they'll be guaranteed twins from IVF - it just doesn't work like that even for the most fertile of women. it's not easy - and to be so set in your head that you want this exact family configuration that you would put yourself through it voluntarily makes me wonder about the mental health of that person!

assisted conception technology was developed to help those of us that can't conceive naturally for whatever reason, not to create "designer families"