| With many couples waiting until they are older and | | | | developed to the point that they can live on their |
| more established to have children, there has been an | | | | own. |
| increase in fertility treatments and drugs. These drugs | | | | When babies are born small and early, they are much |
| and treatments grant many couples the miracle of | | | | more susceptible to various conditions as a result of |
| having their own child. Like all drugs and treatments, | | | | being born so early. Any baby born early is |
| there is the potential of negative effects of fertility | | | | susceptible to cerebral palsy, vision problems, and a |
| treatments and drugs. | | | | wide variety of other ailments. Multiples are not only |
| Since fertility drugs have come into being and | | | | born early but much smaller and so are even more |
| increased popularity, there have been rumors that | | | | likely to have problems. |
| they can cause ovarian cancer in women. This rumor, | | | | The health of the mother is also at risk with multiples. |
| for the most part, has been put to rest. While it may | | | | Not only do they increase the odds of muscle tears, |
| be gone, there is still the possibility since there are | | | | but multiple babies put a much greater strain on all of |
| risks with altering the hormones in one's body all the | | | | the body's systems, particularly the heart. High blood |
| time. | | | | pressure is a serious threat to individuals who have |
| The bigger risk from fertility drugs is the possibility of | | | | multiples. |
| multiple births. Multiple births pose a risk to the health | | | | As a result of the host of potential problems, there |
| of the mother as well as each baby. When there are | | | | are a number of ethical guidelines fertility specialists |
| multiple babies at once, each baby is going to be | | | | are not supposed to cross. They are supposed to |
| smaller than the baby would be if born alone. | | | | recommend the lowest dosages possible of any |
| Multiple babies are born smaller to start. Another | | | | fertility treatments in an effort to reduce the number |
| disadvantage for these babies is that they are born | | | | of multiples. |
| typically following a shorter pregnancy. The body just | | | | Unfortunately, some doctors do not heed the |
| cannot support six children for the full forty weeks. | | | | recommendations of their organizations and the drug |
| This not only means that the babies will be born | | | | makers. These doctors put the lives of their patients |
| smaller but also earlier in their development. It is not | | | | and the patients' children at risk by ignoring |
| uncommon for multiples to have extended stays at | | | | recommendations. This is simply unethical. |
| hospitals because various parts of them are not | | | | |