5 Reasons People Choose Not To "Do IVF"If They Have a Genetic Concern

5 Reasons People Choose Not To "Do IVF" If They Have a Genetic Concern

Why would anyone say no?

1) IVF Is Expensive

It is not an option financially for everyone.

2) The waiting is torturous

Some examples:

  • An initial IVF appointment can take months to schedule.

  • Throughout the IVF process, there Is more waiting (between appointments, for results, between transfers, etc).

  • If you choose to bank embryos, that requires multiple rounds and retrievals. A lot more waiting...

  • And genetic screening further prolongs the whole process.

3) The Emotional Toll of IVF

  • Effects of IVF drugs/hormones

  • Fear of needles

  • Anxiety

  • Depression

  • Stress

  • Exhaustion

4) The Toll On Marital Intimacy

  • Couples are told when they can and can not be intimate when doing IVF.

  • If the couple keeps the laws of niddah (ritual purity laws), they only may be allowed at very fixed times, with the pressure to perform. Or there may be months when they cannot be intimate at all.

5) Genetic testing doesn't guarantee a healthy pregnancy or baby

  • You could still miscarry, have pregnancy complications, preterm labor, etc.

  • Your child could have cancer, autism, ADHD, etc. (things not screened for with this testing).

  • There also is no guarantee that the child will not have the genetic disease that was tested for - but they do lower the risk of having those diseases in a significant way.

Previous
Previous

Emotionally Dealing with Fertility and Genetic Concerns is Complex

Next
Next

Conversations Knowing You Are a Carrier For a Genetic Disorder