LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Side Effect of In Vitro
Fertilization
Curiously absent from your recent article on in vitro fertilization
("In Vitro Fertilization Comes to Morgantown," Summer
2003) is a tragic side effect of IVF. U.S. fertility clinics
hold approximately 400,000 human embryos in deep freeze, the
largest population of frozen human embryos in the world. Since
the procedure of IVF commonly generates more embryos than can
be implanted in the mother, remaining embryos may be discarded
like trash, used for experimentation, or left frozen indefinitely.
Sadly, such advancements in reproductive technology have turned
children into commodities. IVF fosters the notion that children
are a "right," rather than a gift. IVF makes people
the masters of human life, instead of its stewards.
Patricia M.L. Johnson, '93 BS, '97 MA
Morgantown, WV
In Vitro Unethical?
This letter is written in response to the "In Vitro Fertilization Comes to Morgantown" article. The article did not state how many embryos were created in the controlled laboratory environment. How many embryos die during this delicate process? How many embryos are unwanted and eliminated? How many embryos are cryogenically frozen? Human embryos are the result of fertilization and the beginnings of a new life. Each human embryo has a complete genetic code, and his or her growth and development are totally coordinated from within. The intentional choice to carry out a procedure that causes death to embryos is not right. It is discouraging that my alma mater has embraced these technologically possible, but unethical procedures.
Robert D'Aurora, '87 MS
Bridgeport, WV