By Linda S. Mintle, Ph.D.
Psychotherapist
Selective reduction is recommended when multiple births are possible but dangerous.
SilasPartners.com - Jan and Bob had to make a decision. Do they choose one or two fetuses to "reduce" in order to increase their chances for a safe and healthy birth of one or two children, or do they allow the pregnancy to continue? Which two fetuses would they choose? Their faith had everything to do with their decision.
Because Bob and Jan believed that human life begins once an egg is fertilized, "reducing," meant abortion. Since they did not believe abortion was a right moral decision, they could not entertain selective reduction as an option.
The doctor insisted that they see another specialist who would concur with his recommendation to abort two fetuses. He was sure the couple was in denial about the potential dangers to the developing babies if they did nothing.
The couple agreed to hear a second opinion but held fast on their decision not to selectively reduce. They didn't need more information. The bottom line was that selective reduction meant abortion no matter how they looked at it. They couldn't do it. Nor could they face their children some day and tell them they decided to end the lives of two potential brothers/sisters.
They understood the risks but decided to continue the pregnancy. At 13 weeks one of the babies died. At 14 weeks, another died.
The two babies who survived were born at 32 weeks. Both had breathing difficulties and physical problems. Despite all the loss and heartache, Bob and Jan welcomed their births. They were at peace knowing they did not choose who would live or die. They believed God would give them what they needed to deal with their new family.
Jan and Bob want you to know that not all cases of multiple births end like theirs. They have friends who went through IVF and had healthy triplet girls. Another friend was advised to reduce one of her twins, chose not to, and gave birth to two boys who had a rough first year, but developmentally caught up. Another friend lost both babies at 17 weeks. Bob and Jan simply want you to be aware of the potential problems and decisions when using (Assisted Reproductive Technology) ART procedures.
After the birth of their twins, they shared two things. One was that they wished someone had explained to them the risks of multiple gestations prior to conception. In their desire to achieve pregnancy, they never really considered the possibility of multiple births even though it was mentioned several times. They pictured themselves happily changing the diapers of one sweet little newborn.
The second issue involved the fertilized eggs. They implanted four embryos thinking only one would survive. Now they had two sons with physical impairments and four more fertilized eggs in cryoperservation (frozen). Jan was 39 years old, exhausted and still emotionally and physically recouping from the two miscarriages and difficult births. The couple did not want to go through a second IVF try. What would they do with the frozen embryos?
To read more of the story read "What do you do with left over eggs" by Dr. Linda Mintle.
Dr. Mintle – author, professor, Approved Supervisor and Clinical member of the American Association for Marriage and Family Therapy – is a speaker and media personality, as well as a licensed clinical social worker with twenty years in psychotherapy practice. For more articles by Dr. Mintle, go to Counseling and Advice on the Health Channel.
