I want my child, from a tube!
(Beijing Today)
Updated: 2004-07-12 09:52

Every year, couples everywhere try to conceive a child. Unfortunately, many find that they cannot. The process of finding out why and what to do about it can be long and arduous.

A doctor is putting sperm into the tube for in-vitro fertilization. [photocome]

According to a report in Guanzhou Daily last Thursday, Wang Xia and her husband were a young couple from Guangzhou who had been unable to conceive for five years because Wang had blocked fallopian tubes.

Having gone from one doctor to another for help to no avail, they decided to undertake in-vitro fertilization at Guandong Women and Children's Hospital and Health Institute in 2003.

"After discovering that we had to pay more than 10,000 yuan for the operation, we had saved on food and clothes for almost one year. Finally, we could afford to undertake the operation in February this year," Wang Xia recalled to Guangzhou Daily last Thursday.

"Unfortunately, the first fertilized egg failed to be replaced back into my womb, so we had to start again." She said that she and her husband did not lose hope. They simply waited for the next operation a few months later.

However, tragedy struck just a few days before the second operation was due, when Wang's husband was killed in a car accident. Wang decided she wanted to continue the procedure to make her husband's dream come true.

However, the hosital refused her request. According to a law released by China's Ministry of Health in 2001, it is forbidden to offer Assisted Reproductive Technology for single women.

Following her husband's death, the local hospitalegarded Wang as a single woman.

Wang Xia told Guangzhou Daily that she could not give up this opportunity to have a baby. Some people back Wang's decision. They believe that it is unreasonable and unmerciful to stop her from having a child.

Others say the government is just trying to restrict the growth of China's already huge population. Ms. Luo, the deputy of Guangdong Women and Children's Hospital and Health Institute to Beijing Today that after the report in Guangzhou Daily, the hospital had been placed under great pressure.

Yi Yanhong, Deputy Director of Guandong Women and Children's Hospital and Health InstituteRecently, there has been a strict policy in China to control the appliance of Assisted Reproductive Technology, because there are many other aspects involved, such as complicated ethical problems.

Technically, Wang Xia can realize her conception, according to her healthy condition. However, she became a single woman after the death of her husband. We, of course, cannot do the operation due to the law. But because of the particular nature of her case, we can report it to China's Ministry of Health, and try our best to get permission.

Jian Zhengde, a lawyer from Guangzhou Sheng Bang Law Office

We cannot blame the hospital for its refusal to continue with the operation, because they made their decision according to the law.

I think it is necessary for China to set up this regulation, because it could have a significant effect on society if hospitals could just apply Assisted Reproductive Technology at will.

Furthermore, if a child lives without his or her father, he or she may have an unhappy life. It may bring about much more ethical problems and legal problems, such as the confirmation of child’s status ad identity, and the right to foster the child.

However, to stop the operation does not mean that Wang's right to give birth to a child has been violated. There are two ways for her to have children. One is that she can get married again, so she will have another chance to have a test-tube baby. The other way is that she can adopt a child to make her dream come true.

Ralph Jennings, a journalist from Kyodo News

I'm not sure what most Wstern countries do, but in most of the United States women can have test tube babies without being married. Because this choice indicates that the woman is committed to parenthood (as opposed to having a child by accident), American society by and large supports it.

Yes, the law in China seems unusually harsh. It's bad enough that this woman lost her hsband in a car wreck, and worse that the nation won't let her add another precious family member by having a baby.

But I'm not completely surprised. I've heard about students rejected from college study because they anot tall enough, because they're partly deaf or other matters of physique, or because they get pregnant while in school. I respect conservative values, but lawmakers should be practical too.

Zhang Shan, a producer from China Central Television

In my opinion, Wang cannot realize her dream, unless she gets permission from the government. But of course, getting married again is an option.

From a humanitarian perspective, I think Wang should have the right to have her own baby. But I can understand the law, because if more people do this, there will be other problems, such as conception outside marriage.

Such problems may create a new burden for the country, and may go against the marriage system. After all, the population of China is over 1.3 billion.

Zhu Siran, a translator for CCTV Economics Channel

I personally can understand Ms. Wang's decision to contnue the operation. However, I am afraid that I cannot agree with it.

Firstly, after the death of her husband, I am sure that Ms. Wang may suffer a lot mentally, and the bad news surely will have bad influence upon her health. Therefore I think maybe it can do harm to herself and her baby if she is pregnant.

Secondly, we can see that Ms. Wang's family is not that rich, especially after losing her husband, the main bread-winner in her amily. I just wonder how she could afford the surgery fee, and how she could raise the child on her own. I am afraid that financial problems may have a bad impact on the growth of her baby.

Thirdly, I think most children coming from single parent families suffer in their character or mentality. I mean they may have unhealthy psychology. It is hard for a child to grow healthily in such circumstances.

Therefore, I cannot agree with Ms. Wang. I think she made this decision on impulse, not taking every factor into consideration.

Zhang Jun, a doctor from Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital

Viewing this matter ethically, I think we cannot agree with Wang's decision, because it goes against China's Planned Parenthood policy. As doctors, we conduct operations only according to the law.

If we violate laws, we should shoulder the responsibility. But I personally think the request made by Wang is reasonable and understandable.

Taking surrogacy for example, it is quite common in foreign countries for a couple to find a surrogate mother to be pregnant if the wife cannot give birth to a child.

Surrogate births are usually achieved through in-vitro procedures. However, in our country, it is strictly forbidden to have such operations. Some people may think it is inhuman to prohibit surrogacy, and see it as a violation of women's right to be a mother.

However, I personally believe that it is necessary to have a law prohibiting it. Regulations are a result of harmony from all aspects.

Surrogacy and test-tube babies are matters involving many other problems, such as ethical problems. It is really complicated to handle these problems if the government does not place restrictions on the use of Assisted Reproductive Technology.

Close

Why does it hurt so bad Playboy Swimsuit Calendar for 2005 Fashion show in Paris

Today's Top News     Top Life News
China opposes Singapore deputy PM's Taiwan visit         Sudden storm hits Beijing hard         Voters in Japan deal a setback to Koizumi         Annan: We must do better on AIDS         Freeze extended on demolishing firms         Filipino hostage's deadline extended	Officials on tenterhooks before cameras       I want my child, from a tube!       Long march to the 'toilet revolution       The end of the line       Search under way for shark that killed surfer       Polio weakens Si's spine but not her spirit