I was somewhat surprised by a survey conducted by the British Fertility Society and the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the birth of the first baby conceived for in vitro fertilization.
200 fertility experts have been asked about which woman should be entitled to receive in vitro fertilization treatments and which not.
29% answered that all, while more than 40% replied that they should not be received by overweight women and smokers, because these two factors affect the fertility of women and condition the chances of achieving pregnancy through this treatment.
It is also proven that both diminish the possibility of achieving a pregnancy naturally, so experts say that before undergoing an artificial fertilization treatment they should strive to change their lifestyle habits.
It could be understood as discrimination, but according to specialists it is a way to achieve a higher percentage of pregnancies through this technique.
What do you think of the survey? Can an objective limit be established, those that weigh more than so many kilos or those that smoke more than so many cigarettes? Of course, I consider that the responsibility of being a father begins by taking care to conceive it, but for some women it is very difficult to lose weight or quit smoking and at the same time both things can take time.
At the time, it was also proposed to limit the age of the patients. Could doctors refuse to perform in vitro fertilization treatment for women of advanced age, overweight or smoking?
