I have been a patient at your center in the past, for well-woman care. A friend of mine recently became pregnant for the first time, through IVF (in vitro fertilization) and mentioned to me that your center no longer accepts women who conceived via IVF. I am curious to hear your reasons for this decision. As a center that says it promotes "dignity and respect", and "birth as a uniquely personal event", I am surprised to see IVF listed along with the other exclusionary criteria on your website. While I understand having disqualifying events that are actually medically based (such as prior surgery on the uterus, etc.), I don't see how a method of conception, in and of itself, fits with the rest of your list (from: http://www.
Can you clarify the reasoning behind this? Currently, with the way it's listed, it seems to be a rather insensitive way to exclude women who already have been through so much and been made to feel so marginalized and even defective by the mainstream medical establishment. I am curious to hear the Birth Center's thinking on publishing this on your website, and what your reasons for this new policy are.
Thanks for your time in answering my question!
You are awesome.
ReplyDeleteFabulous letter. Did they ever respond to you with a logical reason?
ReplyDeleteNope, they never responded AT ALL.
ReplyDeleteI have since heard that they just have a huge demand, and this is one way to weed out applicants. But I think it's just really wrong, as I wrote. Oh well, screw 'em. I liked the midwives and hospital tour just fine.
The midwives that I chose did tell me there will one extra ultrasound for IVF patients, to check the baby's heart, because there is a slightly higher incidence of heart defects. But nothing to worry about. This was the best option we had, and I took it, and we just hope for the best right now. Tens of thousands of IVF babies have been born and most are just fine.