Mom sues after IVF brings 2 babies instead of 1

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  • #41
According to the video, she told her doctor minutes before the implantation that she only wanted one embryo implanted.
 
  • #42
LovingTheChaos said:
I think IVF is free in Austrailia. I would hope that this case would be tossed out before it goes to far.
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No....far from it......IVF is very expensive here.
 
  • #43
I just have to jump back in...

But let me first say that I think this lawsuit is completely ridiculous and I feel terrible for these poor children when they discover that one of them (which one?) was unwanted.

I was getting my hair cut today, and I made a comment about this story. The stylist working the chair next to mine said, "That happened to my friend."

I was :eek:

She said there was no lawsuit involved, but her friend did IVF and told the doctor specifically that they only wanted one embryo implanted. She was terrified of having twins, for whatever reason. She thought all was well until ON THE TABLE during the procedure she heard them refer to "the embryos" and she reiterated her desire that they only implant one. The doctor casually assured her that she'd lose one or they both "wouldn't take" :furious: and insisted on implanting two. Apparently there was a heated discussion that lasted several minutes, with the doctor refusing to do the procedure with only one embryo, even though they had already discussed it previously. So she relented.

You guessed it, she got pregnant with twins. They were anxious but hopeful. She went into preterm labor, one of the twins died after a few hours, and the other is still alive with lifelong health problems.

The stylist said her friend never dreamed of suing, but does tell everyone she can think of about this doctor b/c she feels he is largely responsible for the death of one child and the health problems of her living child. I wonder if she ever filed a complaint with the medical board?

It just gave me a slightly different perspective. I wonder how often this does happen, especially considering some of the harsh words aimed at the parents of the sextuplets on another thread. Should doctors have that kind of control? What happens when the odds go the other way?
 
  • #44
I am glad you posted that Angelmom, because I have been thinking about it that way today. We have another thread here about women that have multilpe eggs implanted which raises the whole selective reduction debate which brings problems of its own. So here we have a couple that specifically wants one embryo implanted and I respect that. They didn't want a baby at any cost, they wanted one baby. period..so they asked to have one embryo implanted.
I would have been ok with twins but no more, so I would have been specific about only 2 embryos implanted. I would never be able to selectively reduce so I would never put myself in that situation. if the doctor implanted more , I do not think I would be very happy about that.
Does the doctor have the right to implant more? I don't think so.
 
  • #45
JBean said:
I am glad you posted that Angelmom, because I have been thinking about it that way today. We have another thread here about women that have multilpe eggs implanted which raises the whole selective reduction debate which brings problems of its own. So here we have a couple that specifically wants one embryo implanted and I respect that. They didn't want a baby at any cost, they wanted one baby. period..so they asked to have one embryo implanted.
I would have been ok with twins but no more, so I would have been specific about only 2 embryos implanted. I would never be able to selectively reduce so I would never put myself in that situation. if the doctor implanted more , I do not think I would be very happy about that.
Does the doctor have the right to implant more? I don't think so.
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I agree JBean, but the problem is - if they just implant one and it fails, patients end up furious about that too. Doctors look at it as insurance to implant multiple embryos. I think this is an instance where the docs can hardly win, liability-wise, let alone ethically. IMO it would take a lot of courage to go into the fertility field. People have gotten to look at it like baby "shopping." "I want this, I don't want that" doesn't exactly work when it comes to nature.

Eve
 
  • #46
Geez, poor woman, now she has to decide which one it is that she doesn't want. :confused:

UTTERLY RIDICULOUS......
 
  • #47
eve said:
I agree JBean, but the problem is - if they just implant one and it fails, patients end up furious about that too. Doctors look at it as insurance to implant multiple embryos. I think this is an instance where the docs can hardly win, liability-wise, let alone ethically. IMO it would take a lot of courage to go into the fertility field. People have gotten to look at it like baby "shopping." "I want this, I don't want that" doesn't exactly work when it comes to nature.

Eve
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HI Eve.Originally, I thought that they agreed to implant 2 and were mad that both "took". That is just wrong of them IMO.
But these people were apparently clear that they only wanted one implanted. If we are to believe what they say,I can understand why they are upset.
As I say, if I only wanted 2 implanted and the doctor took it upon himself to implant 4 and they all "took" I would also be very upset. I would love them all,which is almost irrelevant.But, I think the doctors would still be wrong to put me in the position to raise 4 children when I was only prepared to raise 2.

I agree about it being a tough field to address all the issues.

ETA: If the couple is willing to risk the odds of failed implantation by only doing one at a time and are willing to pay for each cycle,isn't that their choice to make?
 
  • #48
I think IVF is free in AU. Paid by the govt.

She can send me the other one! I'm up all night anyways with one, might as well have another to keep her company :) That's my take on twins :)
 
  • #49
alpharee said:
I think IVF is free in AU. Paid by the govt.

She can send me the other one! I'm up all night anyways with one, might as well have another to keep her company :) That's my take on twins :)
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:blowkiss:
I think one of our Aussie friends said it is quite expensive.
ETA: oops and not paid for by the govt.
 
  • #50
I love that I've completely changed my mind on this topic. At first, I thought that the woman was just trying to get money and should of course be glad that she has two children, however I now can understand her point of view. I'm not sure that I would sue...but I can still see her point.

I wonder if there was any paperwork that was done before the implantation that showed her request for only one embryo to be transferred. That would certainly help her case. However, I feel if she signed off on having two implanted, she has no case. She took her chances.
JBean said:
ETA: If the couple is willing to risk the odds of failed implantation by only doing one at a time and are willing to pay for each cycle,isn't that their choice to make?
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I think that these clinics sometimes transfer more so that there is more of a chance of getting a positive results. They like to bolster their success rate/positive statistics, since that is what they sometimes rely on to draw in customers.
 
  • #51
  • #52
Dingo - IVF cost me $15,000 in the US. That was for 2 fresh & 1 frozen cycle. At the rates posted on your link, I could have had as many kids as the Duggers, all via ivf!! It appears that most of the cost of IVF is covered by insurance in Austrailia.
 
  • #53
Yes and medicare picks up the tab for some of it aswell..but its still not free:) ..we had friends that had 3 goes at it before it worked and then about 6 months after the birth of their IVF son they fell pregnant naturally and very unexpectently...they are over the moon.
 
  • #54
dingo said:
Yes and medicare picks up the tab for some of it aswell..but its still not free:) ..we had friends that had 3 goes at it before it worked and then about 6 months after the birth of their IVF son they fell pregnant naturally and very unexpectently...they are over the moon.
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That is wonderful dingo - congrats to your friends. We did not have an IVF baby, all 3 times failed for us. However, we have since had 3 babies, all naturally & unexpectently. I actually had to have my tubes tied for fear of getting pregnant again! It took us 8 years before we were able to have a baby.
 
  • #55
LovingTheChaos said:
That is wonderful dingo - congrats to your friends. We did not have an IVF baby, all 3 times failed for us. However, we have since had 3 babies, all naturally & unexpectently. I actually had to have my tubes tied for fear of getting pregnant again! It took us 8 years before we were able to have a baby.
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Congrats to you and your three kiddos chaos! :blowkiss:
 
  • #56
LovingTheChaos said:
That is wonderful dingo - congrats to your friends. We did not have an IVF baby, all 3 times failed for us. However, we have since had 3 babies, all naturally & unexpectently. I actually had to have my tubes tied for fear of getting pregnant again! It took us 8 years before we were able to have a baby.
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Thats a great outcome Loving and congrats on all three babies..:dance: :dance: :dance:
 
  • #57
  • #58
deandaniellws said:
It is REALLY REALLY expensive here in the states.

:eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:
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Yep! I have been quoted $12K for one IVF treatment and I am under 35 years old. My insurance will not cover any of it of course. But the price has come down in the past 5 years. In 2002 I was quoted $20K for one round of IVF.
 
  • #59
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