Artificial insemination and fertility drugs are “an act of faith”
Two common infertility treatments offered by IVF clinics may not help couples
to have children, according to a study in the British Medical Journal. Before
resorting to IVF, doctors often stimulate the ovaries with fertility drugs or
use artificial insemination. However doctors in Scotland found that couples were
better off without either treatment.

A third of the 580 couples in the study received advice on the best way to
conceive naturally. Another group received clomid, a fertility drug. And the
third group was given artificial insemination. Women who were pregnant after six
months were then monitored until they gave birth.

In the first group, which had done nothing artificial, 32 couples had babies.
The second group had 26, and the third 43. The differences were not
statistically significant, say the researchers. "These treatments are a leap of
faith," says Dr Siladitya Bhattacharya, the study’s lead author. "None of the
treatments studied had any significant benefit over no treatment at all." ~ AP,
Aug 8

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Michael Cook

Michael Cook edits BioEdge, a bioethics newsletter, and MercatorNet, an on-line magazine whose focus is human dignity. He writes from Sydney, Australia.

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