The concept of a “test tube baby” is a topic that for many years has drawn much debate. First, it is best to understand what the term “test tube baby” really means. Many people have the misconception that babies are created in a glass tube and then mothers are impregnated. While to some degree the main idea is the same, the process is not. Test tubes refer to in vitro fertilization (IVF) consists of sperm and an egg coupling to start the process and then that coupling is inserted into the mother for full fertilization and the term of the pregnancy. Some arguments have been proven (medically and scientifically) to be moot, while others are still debated.
One of the main reasons that people seek IVF is that that they have difficulty becoming pregnant through normal means. Examples of this include a male having a low sperm count or a woman who has eggs that are not strong enough for sperm to couple. There are many reasons that couples are faced with fertility problems. Years ago, it used to be the end of the line, but IVF allows for the joy of having a baby even if it isn’t in a “traditional” way.
Another reason that IVF is important is that medical professionals are able to study fertilization and very early embryonic changes. This allows for them to learn about, detect and even prevent or reduce chances of birth defects. It has also been argued that the medical advances that came from IVF may also help in prenatal care.
Those who oppose IVF often have many of the same views. The most common view is that IVF will create or cause birth defects and deformities because the baby was created in a “test tube” rather than in a traditional host. Many people feared that test tubes would cause illnesses that were not treatable, or would cause deformities because IVF was so new. The only way past that though is with trying.
Others feared that IVF would take away from marriages all together. With “scientific manufacture” of a baby, there would be no need for a couple to get married, or for marriages to happen. Feminists worried about the social stigmas that this would place on women as a whole, while others consider it to be doctors playing God and fear it. Many also feel that children would not be treated the same if it were known they were created through IVF.
The debate will never end on this topic. While many feel it is a societal issue to be addressed, many also feel that it is a morality issue that needs to be debated as well. Social norms that are deterred from make other who stick to those norms feel uncomfortable, leading to debate. Others just feel that it is unnatural. Knowing the facts though can give you more insight and leave you with a little more knowledge than not knowing and trying to draw your own conclusion with no knowledge.
