Trend of 'hunting' for desired children, abusing artificial insemination

Professor Nguyen Viet Tien said that the abuse of artificial insemination causes many health problems for mothers and does not solve the root cause of infertility.

Cheap advertising traps sick people

At the international conference “Future trends of assisted reproduction industry - Expanding the IVF professional cooperation network”, domestic and foreign experts discussed enthusiastically about international cooperation, challenges in policy, technology, human resources and the potential to make Vietnam become the leading destination for in vitro fertilization (IVF) in Southeast Asia.

Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of a conference held in Hanoi, Professor Nguyen Viet Tien - former Deputy Minister of Health - pointed out that the reproductive support industry in Vietnam is facing many barriers. First of all, the lack of uniformity in access to IVF services makes it difficult for everyone to use this method. The high cost of treatment, often ranging from 30-40 million VND for medication alone, is also a financial burden for many infertile families.

More worryingly, Professor Tien warned about misleading online advertising, such as offers of “cheap IVF for just over ten million VND.” According to him, these advertisements are unrealistic and can put patients at financial risk or encounter untrustworthy medical facilities.

“The actual cost of IVF is not cheap, especially the ovarian stimulation drugs. Patients need to be alert to avoid falling into these financial traps,” said Mr. Tien.

Professor Tien shared at the workshop.

Another serious problem is the overuse of IVF. Many couples who are having trouble conceiving are immediately advised to undergo IVF without being thoroughly examined to find the cause of infertility.

Professor Tien shared that he had encountered many unfortunate cases, such as patients with uterine fibroids but still had embryos implanted, leading to dangerous complications such as cyst growth or IVF failure. There were even cases where only surgery to clear the fallopian tubes was needed to get pregnant naturally, but the doctor still hastily prescribed IVF.

IVF is not a miracle

In addition, the impatience of couples, along with the increasing trend of wealthy families turning to IVF to “hunt” for children of their choice, has contributed to the increase in abuse of this method. Mr. Tien is concerned that the massive advertisements about IVF as a “miracle” are causing many people to misunderstand the nature of this technique.

According to Professor Tien, IVF is a complicated process, requiring many procedures such as anesthesia, egg retrieval, egg stimulation, embryo transfer, and has many potential risks.

A doctor thaws an embryo at an IVF facility.

If not properly indicated, patients may face serious complications such as ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, causing ascites, pleural effusion, pericardial effusion, kidney failure, and even embolism.

In addition, women who conceive through IVF also have a higher risk of high blood pressure, diabetes, preeclampsia, cesarean section or giving birth to a larger baby than those who conceive naturally.

The highlight of the conference was the concept of personalized IVF as a new step forward in the field of assisted reproduction. Instead of applying a general protocol to all patients, personalized IVF is “tailored” for each person, based on biological characteristics, physical condition and medical history. Experts say that this method not only increases the success rate but also minimizes risks, while helping patients save costs and reduce psychological pressure.

Many clinical evidences presented at the conference showed that personalized IVF, probiotics, and medicinal herbs, if researched in the right direction, will become important "pieces" in the comprehensive picture of reproductive medicine, bringing positive results, especially for patients who have failed many times with traditional regimens.

For Vietnam to become a regional IVF hub, the healthcare sector needs to address cost challenges, improve service quality and tightly control prescriptions. At the same time, promoting international cooperation and applying advances such as personalized IVF will be key to improving the efficiency and reputation of the field, bringing the opportunity of parenthood to more people.

vietnamnet.vn

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/trao-luu-san-con-nhu-y-lam-dung-thu-tinh-nhan-tao-post880741.html