A “two womb” baby has been born — proving to me that the new reproductive “advances” promote profound solipsism. From the inews.co.uk story:
Scientists have claimed a breakthrough after delivering the world’s first ‘two-womb’ baby to a British lesbian couple.
Otis, who was born in London in July, grew from a fertilised egg created using IVF treatment incubated in both women’s wombs during the course of their pregnancy.
Here is how it was done:
The procedure is carried out by incubating the fertilised egg in one partner’s uterus — rather than in an artificial environment — for the first 18 hours following fertilisation, before being transferred to the second partner’s womb for the duration of the pregnancy.
The mothers are very pleased:
Mothers Donna and Jasmine Francis-Smith were overjoyed by the birth. “The procedure really made me and Donna feel quite equal in the whole process and has emotionally brought us closer together,” said Jasmine.
Ah, did you catch it? The procedure made them feel equal and closer together. That is a vanity desire that has absolutely nothing to do with the health, safety, and welfare of the gestating baby.
Where the Focus Should Be
That’s where the focus should be when judging the wisdom of this procedure. We already know that babies born from IVF have a poorer health outlook than babies conceived naturally. This multi-stage process can only increase the potential for problems.
Think about the entirety of the undertaking: First, the technologists make an embryo in a dish instead of the natural environment of the fallopian tube. Perhaps that is accompanied by preimplantation genetic diagnosis that removes a cell for quality control testing. Then, at about ten days development, the embryo is transferred to the first uterus. A day and a half later — for no medical purpose — the embryo is removed from the first uterus and implanted in the second uterus. As the cherry on top, if many embryos are implanted to ensure that a pregnancy is achieved — which is often part of the IVF approach — perhaps “selective reduction” will later be undertaken to prevent multiple births.
If Things Go Wrong
That’s a lot of manipulation of life at its most delicate and vulnerable stage! Oh well, if things go wrong, the abortion option is always available.
Those who shush critics of the new reproductive technologies such as “three-parent embryos,” and human CRISPR germ line genetic engineering by claiming such innovations will only be about health, are full of beans. This technique was designed solely to benefit the mothers, not the baby.
Big Fertility desperately needs regulating. But it won’t happen. Our contemporary me-me, I-I values won’t permit it.
Photo credit: Tim Bish via Unsplash.
Cross-posted at The Corner.