21 September 2007

Canberra IVF news goes international

| Joe Canberran
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A mere 3 days ago a lively debate formed on this Riot thread regarding a couple suing their doctor for getting twins via IVF when they only wanted one child.

Well the story has been picked up by Canada.com and by Reuters Africa, in their Oddly Enough section no less. Not so odd is that the Herald Sun has linked this story to another about a same sex couple going to court over the biological father’s wish to have both mothers and both fathers (him and his male partner) listed as the child’s parents nor is it so odd that Tasmanian Liberal Senator Guy Barnett has called for, in this ABC article, the reintroduction of bans preventing same sex or single mothers from obtaining IVF services.

UPDATED – The Crimes now has this piece on the progress of the case in the ACT Supreme Court.

“Visiting judge Justice Annabelle Bennett has suppressed the identities of the twin girls, now aged three and living in Melbourne, and their mothers, to prevent the girls discovering in the future that their mothers wanted only one of them.”
and
…”urged both parties to settle the matter outside court to avoid being part of a landmark case.”

UPDATE – The Herald Sun is now running this piece in which the couple:

issued a hand-written statement saying their test case exposed a double standard: that gay and lesbian couples should be grateful for having equal birth rights to heterosexual couples.

“If gratitude is a condition of these rights, then they are not full and genuinely equal,” the statement said.

For of course no hetero couple has ever been grateful for the chance to have kids…

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They voluntarily undertook a risky medical procedure that did not have to be done.

Full luck to the poor court clerk who has to tell the screaming meemee’s that their case has been thrown out.

Thanks for that seepi.

As sepi points out, there are many circumstances that need to be taken into account in measuring whether or not their claim for compensation is legitimate, which is precisely why a court is the appropriate forum to decide the issue.

Dumbass Dunne’s legislation would prevent people in this situation from having their day in court and having their complaint heard – that is not justice.

The only people who would benefit from that would be insurance companies, and dumbass suburban prole politicians like Dunne.

The odds of both are 20%.
So the doctor was unlucky.

The odds of one attaching I think are around 30-50%. As this lady did not have known fertility issues I guess she had a higher chance.

I think that is part of the problem. Most couples have to contend with the idea of an unexpected pregnancy as a possibility at any time.

And most couples going to fertility treatment have been trying for so long they’d be happy with any amount of babies.

But this couple were not in that circumstance. They turned up to ivf fully expecting it to work, and to get one baby. So when they didn’t get exactly what they requested, they decided to sue.

Which is basically selfish – it may harm their children in the future, it may harm other lesbian couple’s chances of using ivf in future, and they don’t need the money anyway.

So they didn’t get what they wanted – poor poppets.

I read a quote on a baby website today – a woman said ‘I requested one baby on six occasions, and I still don’t have one. Who can I sue?’

I feel more sorry for her, than for the two in court.

Healthy children, unhealthy children, no children at all.

Gee, I know what one most IVF couples would pick.

Taxpayers (’cause this is who will ‘fund’ it) should not have to pay. They chose to seek IVF, no one forced them to nor did nature i.e. cysts on the ovaries, difficulty menstrating etc.

FFS, their relationship took a twist with another child? Welcome to the world of more than 1 child.

Can someone tell me the odds of both eggs attaching? And then only one and then none. I’d be most interested to see the percentages.

I think it is absurd to say that if proved negligence on behalf of a medical professional causes damage to an individual (be it through implanting too many embryos, leaving a surgical instrument inside a patient or otherwise) it shouldn’t be compensated.

This is typical Liberal conservative social policy bull$hit that shows just how desperate and lacking in genuine ideas the local tories are.

Can we have a real opposition please?

Someone should tell the journalist that Canberra isn’t a state.

Jonathon Reynolds11:57 am 22 Sep 07

It appears that the AMA agree with the ACT Liberal’s position.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/22/2040574.htm

The ALP appears way out of sync with the community on this topic.

Vicki Dunne is calling for a ban on compensation for these sorts of cases.

http://abc.net.au/news/stories/2007/09/21/2039475.htm

Of course Labor are rejecting it, the most likely reason is that it goes against their social agenda. This kind of issue could be perfect for the ACT Liberals going into the ’08 election.

Yes, nice to see they dress alike.

Looks like Canberra Times has stuffed up again!!!!

heh.. set your clock to see how long it takes for them to be removed.

hingo_VRCalaisV610:13 am 21 Sep 07

Is that them? I thought they were twin brothers!

Jonathon Reynolds10:08 am 21 Sep 07

If there is a court suppression on the identity of the mothers, then why are there still photographs (possibly of the two women) near court available on the Canberra Times photo-sales website (listed under Canberra Times 17 September photos)?

http://www.bicaprolab.com.au/photosales/CT_index.php

Woody Mann-Caruso8:55 am 21 Sep 07

If gratitude is not a condition of these rights, then they have no value, and you should not desire them.

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