|
Prior to IVF it was
common for physicians who treated infertility patients to tell them that
everything had been tried, and it was now time to consider adoption or a
childless future. Basic IVF technology changed much of that, as
did the addition of donor gametes for those prepared to accept alien
genetic material; the physician is now able to offer an option to
essentially all couples. The era of IVF also has made it possible
to go beyond the mere solution of the problem of infertility.
Preimplantation genetic diagnosis now makes it possible to eliminate
disease-causing mutant genes. Thus, we are beginning to diminish
the number of children born with handicaps. Such children
previously were thought to represent an intrinsic risk of bearing
children.
Howard W. Jones,
Jr., MD |
