IVF and smoking/obesity?

Question

There was a story in the news in the UK yesterday that there were thinking of not giving IVF to overweight people or smokers, with the thought that it could be their smoking/overeating which contributes to their infertility. But, even if it was found that it wasn't the cause of their infertility, do you think that only non-smokers with healthy lifestyles should be allowed to have IVF? Of course, if they were able to have children without IVF we would not be able to choose whether they had a healthy lifestyle, but would it be better to select those that do to have IVF to ensure healthy babies are born?

Answer 1

There is a reason re: the smoking.  IVF protocols usually have the patient take birth control pills at the beginning of the cycle to regulate the ovary function and knock out cysts.  BCPs + smoking = blood clot risk.

Answer 2

personally i think that smoking and obesity is a person's lifestyle choice not a disease or something to be sympathised with (bearing in mind i was once a smoker and have been a little overweight myself in the past)

so in that case if a smoker or an obese person was on the waiting list for IVF on the nhs then yes they should be at least at the back of the Qeue, because if they were that desperate they would quit and/or loose weight.

anyone with half a brain knows that smoking and obesity can cause decreased fertility, and its high time more people carefully planned the conception of their children, this means getting healthy, becoming financially stable, and making sacrifices,

If the world contained more people willing to have children at the right time then we would have less children suffering in this world.

Answer 3

I personally believe that in a society that professes to be anti-discriminatory this kind of decision is a blatant extension of the postcode lottery that already exists.  If habitual drug takers and addicts can have babies naturally and we as a society can do nothing to prevent this, how can we possibly restrict people who are overweight or smoke and deny them the right to have children.  Some people cannot help being overweight and while smoking and obesity does increase the risk of having an 'unhealthy' baby, not every child born to these parents will have health problems.  The NHS has a responsibility to protect the health of their patients and correct or attempt to relieve medical conditions regardless of lifestyle choices and I definitely believe that infertility or sub fertility comes under this responsibility.

Answer 4

thats just being sizest

Answer 5

Ive been ttc for years, and there's a very good chance I'll have to have ivf at some point.

i do actually think it's a good idea for the smokers to quit as they would have to quit anyway if/when they got pregnant.

(i do understand it's hard i used to smoke myself, but quit about 2 years ago - manly because i wanted to improve my chances of ttc with the treatments i am offered such as clomid and iui then ivf)

however i think differently about the weight as someone with pcos, it's very hard to lose weight with this, and sometimes it's impossible to be in 'healthy weight range' - i have managed to lose about a stone and a half since Christmas but I'm still overweight even though i exercise and diet all the time!  so i don't really think weight should play a part in it as long as your fit enough to be able to carry a child.

people don't realise how many restrictions there are with nhs ivf anyway and even if/when i get my shot a nhs ivf I'd have to wait problem years for my turn to come and then where i live it's only funded for 1 cycle.

Answer 6

They cover Viagra, don't they?  Yes, they should continue to cover it.  Smoking does not cause infertility although it can exacerbate a condition already present.  If the only people you helped were only those who were perfectly healthy, what sort of world would this be? The fact that some people in certain groups have less success should spur researchers to examine what else they could be doing to improve their care.

I don't live in the UK.  The reason why many insurers in the US now cover IVF is BECAUSE of viagra and sexual problems being covered. Sexual problems have nothing to do with good health, you won't die or be unable to work if you don't get laid, so why are they being covered?

Answer 7

Trying to create the UBERmensch, are we now? Please - who's paid their due, should be able to receive exact same treatment as the rest. World seem to be going down very dark&dull road...

Answer 8

if these people who went for ivf really wanted a baby they should do everything in there power to make sure that baby is healthy, such as stop smoking and be at a reasonalbe size.

and if there was a way to stop people who smoke or do drugs and other stuff, concieving naturally id be for that to.

When u have a baby, the health and well being of that baby should be the most important thing to you.

Answer 9

is nt that what hitler tried to do breed the perfect race. if rolly pollys want ivf and they,ve paid their taxes  then they should get it . who is anyone to criticise anyone.

Answer 10

I agree with the smoking one, but only if they would not show that they would give up. I think they should give up before even going for IVF.

Now the one about obese people i'm not too sure about. I think it is being sizest, I don't think someones size could change their parenting skills. I dont think that is fair because sometimes people can't help being overweight!

Answer 11

Just because someone is obsessed, does not mean that they cant have a perfectly normal and healthy baby.

Same as smokers. I cut down a lot when pregnant, but could not stop fully. yet I had 2 healthy children.

Thats just discriminating, and aren't we all taught not to do that?

Answer 12

I do not think that we should be able to take away someones privilege to have a baby because of their size. These people could become amazing parents. Their are some mothers out their who do not smoke and are not obese but do not deserve to be parents and no one is trying to prevent these so called parents from continuing to have more babies.

Answer 13

That's ridiculous, don't they pay just like everybody else?  who are they to play God by deciding who gets to have babies and who doesn't?