Health risks to mother and babies from IVF discussed

The House Select Committee on assisted procreation on Wednesday discussed the health risks to the mother and babies inherent from in vitro fertilisation and the freezing of embryos.

Committee chairman Jean Pierre Farrugia said that in some way the embryos would have to be preserved in exceptional cases, for example if the mother falls sick during the in vitro fertilisation process.

Following this point further, the committee discussed conclusions already discussed in 2005 which eventually led to the Puli report.

Opposition spokesman on social welfare Michael Farrugia said that the committee would have to examine the dangers that the mother is put in due to hyper stimulation if the initial in vitro fertilisation procedures are not successful, saying that the committee members' responsibility was to look after the health of the mother.

Dr Farrugia added that they would also have to keep in mind the situation of multiple births as there was high risk of health problems with the babies. The Church would have to be kept out of the equation when discussing the freezing of embryos because it was completely against it.

Chairman Dr Farrugia agreed with Labour's Dr Farrugia and said that one had to reduce as much as possible the risk of multiple births because of the health risks involved with such births.

The committee stands adjourned to March 17, when it would conclude the discussion on freezing of embryos.