Wednesday, July 04, 2012

What could go wrong?

The Telegraph reports that doctors at a conference announce that ovary implantation surgery should now be considered a mature technology. If you'll pardon the pun.

The idea is that a woman could have part of an ovary removed, sliced thin, and frozen for years. The slices could be re-implanted later, and if they take--which they seem to--the woman can stave off menopause.

This has been done with women with cancer who wanted to have children after the cancer drug treatments, which would otherwise render them sterile--and it seems to work: "without the need for IVF" (a problematic procedure, but that's another issue).

Imagine: a woman could remain fertile into her 70's at the simple cost of abdominal surgery every few years. Perhaps a mere man can't appreciate such things, but somehow I don't think doctors will be overwhelmed with requests for the procedure.

As a side note, this is their model:

The controversial notion would allow career women peace of mind with a fertility insurance policy so they can find a partner, settle down and become financially secure before starting a family.

Is it better for the husband and wife to grow their lives together into the marriage, or to try to join already-established lives? I've seen both ways work fine, but I wonder if the first isn't the easier path. There's no question that it is easier to take care of kids when you're young (no, not early teen young!), even though there's not a lot of financial security then. I'm not convinced their model is at all ideal.

1 comment:

Assistant Village Idiot said...

I strongly agree. Postponing means less energy, which means increasing guarantee of only one child, two at most. There is a difference between choosing 1-2 as a couple's preferred option and backing themselves into that corner. Technical ability to conceive is one factor, willingness another. It isn't the smaller number of children that worries me, it is the encouragement to rationalise - which we all do pretty well on our own.

No one should construe this as an attempt to not allow people to make this choice. My discouragement of this is intended to be persuasive only. It's just too easy to lie to yourself and say there are no consequences, and you'll be a better parent later. Maybe not.