South Korea Strives To End Adoption Stigma

Adoption in South Korea has historically been looked down upon. The society has lagged behind the rest of the developed world in accepting adoption as a viable alternative for couples facing fertility problems. A New York Times article discusses how attitudes are now changing in South Korea. More South Korean children were adopted by other South Koreans (vs. foreign couples) for the first time last year. There were 1,388 local adoptions compared with 1,264 foreign ones- mostly American.

The government is actually making it a goal to eliminate the need for foreign adoptions within four years. To reach this target, they are offering payments to South Korean families who adopt as well as generous health benefits for the children. Single and older (age 60) people can now adopt since the government has eased adoption restrictions. The government has made foreign adoptions more difficult by imposing a five-month waiting period before children can even be considered for overseas adoptions. Many adoption agencies and experts say the government’s new policies are concerned less with the children’s welfare than with South Korea's image.

Survey On Leftover Embryos

Extra frozen embryos are frequently the result of fertility treatments. It was estimated in 2002 that 396,526 embryos were in storage at U.S. fertility clinics, according to previously published research. These embryos may be used for future pregnancy attempts, donated to other couples, used for research, or discarded. This raises many legal, ethical and financial questions. A recent survey published in the September issue of the journal Fertility and Sterility asked couples who are facing these options about their views. The survey included 1,350 women from an Illinois clinic and also contained questions on patient demographics and medical history. Almost 3/4 (73%) of those responding to the survey supported the use of embryos for scientific research. Additionally, more than 1/2 the recipients (56%) said they would consider selling their embryos to other couples in need. The latter question raises some troubling moral questions, and is considered ethically unacceptable by the American Society for Reproductive Medicine and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Results of the survey also varied substantially by sociodemographic status. The researchers say that this is the first survey to examine the opinions of the infertility population related to the use of leftover embryos.

National Infertility Awareness Week- Oct 19-25, 2008

This week marks the 19th annual observance of National Infertility Awareness Week (NIAW), sponsored by RESOLVE: The National Infertility Association. RESOLVE is the leading patient organization working to create public awareness about the crisis of infertility. NIAW is a movement to raise awareness about the disease of infertility which affects 7.3 million Americans. The RESOLVE website has links to media kits and other ways to help spread the word in your community. The more people are aware of this issue, the more advocates there will be. The Resolve site also has articles that you can print out and take to your local doctor’s office, most of which have bulletin boards for posting current health topics.

RESOLVE is offering two web chats during National Infertility Awareness Week. One, on Tuesday, October 21 at 8 p.m. Eastern time, will deal with cancer and infertility will be led by Lindsay Nohr Beck, founder and executive director of Fertile Hope, who will review the available resources that can help people struggling with the double whammy of cancer and infertility communicate with your oncology and fertility teams, provide you with financial assistance, and support you in getting through this difficult time. The web chat on Wednesday, October 22 at 8 p.m. ET will be led by Dr. Alice Domar, assistant professor at Harvard Medical School and founder/director of the Domar Center for Mind/Body Health at Boston IVF. She will cover everything from the causes of infertility in males and females to tips for coping with the emotional impact. She will also talk about available treatments and resources that can help couples navigate medical costs. Resolve is also sponsoring Teleseminars every day this week on topics ranging from adoption to stimulation protocols to egg donation.

Explaining IVF To Children

A new book titled The Baby Doctor- Explaining IVF to Your Child tackles a subject that not many others do: how to explain to an IVF child how they were conceived. The Baby Doctor tells the story of a family who is hoping to have their second IVF baby. It helps explain the reasons for the treatment, the daily injections, frequent appointments and blood tests. Some couples may choose to keep this a secret, feeling that there's no real reason to bring up a subject that might only confuse and worry their child. But for those who decide to disclose the details, this book can be a good approach. By not focusing on the technical details, the book has a light approach that won't perplex your youngster. Talking about how much Mommy and Daddy wanted a child and the lengths they had to go to will help your child realize how special they are. IVF parents can use this book to introduce the subject of IVF and it also makes it easier for parents to continue the dialogue with the child.