As if fighting the morons of the world isn't enough (see previous post re: PETA), sometimes Infertiles also have to fight the government.
I was talking with my sister (who lives in Melbourne, Australia) about IVF and other fun topics. She mentioned to me that in order for IVF patients in the state of Victoria to proceed with treatment, they have to undergo a police check. As in, a check for a CRIMINAL RECORD. I was absolutely outraged when she told me this.
I poked around on the good ol' internet and found the following article. Go ahead and have a read:
http://www.ivf.net/ivf/ivf-couples-must-undergo-police-checks-under-new-australian-law-o4470.html
Regardless of whether or not a person is undergoing IVF, has other fertility issues, has 10 kids or has no desire to be a parent we should all be appalled that any government would pass this kind of legislation.
I'm sure in the history of IVF there have been some resultant parents who have been less than stellar but I would hazard a guess that instances like that are few and very far between. I find it very hard to imagine that someone who would put themselves through the stress, the physical discomfort and financial impact of IVF, would have anything less than love, and the desire to care for the baby they've worked so hard for.
This kind of legislation serves no other purpose than to degrade those who have to suffer from it. It does nothing more than add to an already stressful situation. Who are the idiots that think these things up??
I also wonder, why stop there? Why not go the whole nine yards into Big Brother-dom and do criminal record checks on anyone contemplating becoming a parent, whether 'naturally' or using ART? Why single out people who are choosing IVF? Doesn't that scream of discrimination?
What I'd really like to know is this: why waste police resources on such foolishness when there are children already in the world being abused? When there are babies being born to drug addicted mothers or alcoholic fathers?
As someone who could very well have to consider IVF before the year comes to an end, it saddens and enrages me that anyone would have to go through additional, unnecessary stress when making that choice. I find it disturbing that a group of what I hope is reasonably intelligent people, could make the decision to pass that legislation.
I'm curious to know what other people think of this. Feel free to comment!
1 comment:
This is ridiculous. I am so angry for anyone who has to go through this. I can understand needing this if you're obtaining a child by a means which requires a court proceeding (e.g. adoption or foster care); I can not, however, understand needing it in a case where the child is biologically yours. Are they going to start requiring that everyone goes to the police station to get a CRC before having a one night stand? This seems like nothing but an ill thought out money grab for people already laying sizable amounts of money just to do what *should* cost nothing more than a couple of cheep drinks and a broken condom.
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