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.

[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?

[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.

[elixa]

that would be interesting to find out whether any IVF clinics would treat fertile couples to conceive twins, or for people who would be willing to pay huge sums of money (maybe not in Australia but overseas)

slightly off topic but interesting how suddendly so many hollywood people are having twins "naturally".

[TxMissAmanda]

Why would anyone care one way or the other?It does not change IVF in an way.They got the money to do it and to take care of the kids.Whats the big deal?I'm sorry.I just find no point in getting into stars "private life".

[Maruschke]

Why would anyone care one way or the other?It does not change IVF in an way.They got the money to do it and to take care of the kids.Whats the big deal?I'm sorry.I just find no point in getting into stars "private life".

The opposition is that they could be consuming resources that are needed by women with a genuine need for IVF.

[briggsy's girl]

Why would anyone care one way or the other?It does not change IVF in an way.They got the money to do it and to take care of the kids.Whats the big deal?I'm sorry.I just find no point in getting into stars "private life".

i think there has been more than a few times that it's been stated that we're NOT looking at what a celebrity has done, we're looking at it from the perspective of ANY fertile couple using IVF treatment simply to have twins. even the poll question says nothing about the "stars" - it is simply that rumour that sparked the question of what IVFer's would feel if the average Jo next door used IVF to try to add two to their family, when they could have a child "naturally".

[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?"

[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?

[barney]

KEL firstly thank you for putting this thread up im finding the reading very interesting and different opinions are great to hear.
i have voted as its a very personal thing for us ivf..we are about to do ivf # 3 and we would love twins .

[Brigitte]

I don't think this is insulting. I am able to concieve naturally but consiered having IVF due to the possibility of having twins. I have really bad pregnancies and wanted to have two more children without having to go through the whole ordeal twice. It is something i will definately cosider if i was to fall again.

I respect that some women have no coice but i dont see how that should limit the ones that do have a choice.

Happy Babies
B.