Invitro fertilized babies play together in reunion

Invitro fertilized babies play together in reunion

Sri Wahyuni, The Jakarta Post/Yogyakarta

Saturday morning last week was a special moment for the
Yogyakarta-based Dr. Sardjito Hospital's infertility clinic,
Permata Hati.

More than 10 years after introducing the invitro-fertilization
program at the clinic, the day saw the return of some of the
babies that it had helped create through the once-controversial
method.

"The main idea of bringing the children here today is that we
want to intensively monitor their physical and psychological
growth," obstetrician and gynecologist Amino Rahardjo of the
clinic said.

Although babies born through invitro-fertilization, or bayi
tabung as it is popularly called here, are theoretically the same
as those born though normal fertilization, the clinic sees it as
to important to monitor their progress.

"So far we have helped the births of 19 babies through
invitro-fertilization. However, official data about the growth
rate of these babies is not yet available," Amino said.
Monitoring so far had been only "partially" or informally
conducted, he said.

"So far, as far as we can see, all the babies are in good
condition and have enjoyed good growth," he said.

Embryologist Ita Fauziah said what made a baby born through an
invitro-fertilization different from one born through sexual
intercourse was only the way the woman's eggs and father's semen
were mixed.

In invitro-fertilization, an embryologist fertilizes the
mother's egg in an incubator before it is re-implanted in the
mother's womb, and the rest of the process including the
pregnancy, the growth of the fetus and the delivery, continues
normally.

"After they are born, they grow the same way as other babies,"
Ita said.

The process, which can allow some couples who would otherwise
be childless to have children, has certainly caused many people
happiness if the reunion was anything to go by.

The smiling faces of Siti Makrufah and husband Sarjiyo as he
held onto his 18-month-old daughter, Neyla Aisha Yumna, were
evidence enough.

The check-up was integrated into a toddlers' birthday party
theme, with balloons and other baby attractions. About a dozen
babies participated in the reunion, which was also a data-
collecting activity for the clinic.

"I'm glad that we finally decided to have the invitro-
fertilization treatment here," said Makrufah, who joined the
program after trying for 11 years to have a child.

"We had undergone countless programs, both medical and non-
medical ones, before joining the bayi tabung program here, but
all (earlier programs) ended up failing," recalled Makrufah,
whose husband was diagnosed as having "weak-swimming" semen.

Even at Permata Hati, she said, it was also only after some
two years of consultation that she was finally introduced to the
bayi tabung program after trying a series of planned pregnancy
programs.

The invitro-fertilization program, Amino said, was generally
only recommended after all simpler and cheaper measures had been
tried.

In the case of 33-year-old Fatma Rosyati, doctors found her
ovaries had no ducts. The clinic provided her with two options,
undergoing surgery to create the needed ducts or having invitro-
fertilization. Fatma and her husband chose the latter.

"We at one point hesitated about whether to through with it.
It was because both of us thought that the cost (for the
procedure) was quite expensive, while the chances for success so
the doctor told us, were considerably low -- only 30 percent,"
Fatma, a civil servant, said.

"Alhamdulillah (Praise be to God), our son Bagas already now
has his second tooth," Fatma's husband, Ari Widayanto, who is
also a civil servant said, while gazing at his six-month-old baby
lying in Fatma's arms.

The procedure is certainly not cheap, costing tens of millions
of rupiah, with complicated cases costing up to Rp 100 million or
more. Meanwhile, the chances of success are also low, with only
28 percent of couples becoming pregnant through the procedure
worldwide.

"It is completely irresponsible to tell couples with
infertility problems that the chance for pregnancy success is
higher with an invitro-fertilization program," said Amino, adding
that ethical and moral considerations were highly respected at
the clinic.

"We, for example, have often received requests from single
women to have invitro-fertilization treatments here.

"Of course we don't and will not ever allow this. Only legally
married couple are allowed to join the program here," Amino said.