In Vitro Fertilisation

EDM number 29 in 1989-90, proposed by Ann Winterton on 21/11/1989.

That this House commends Dr Marsden Wagner of the World Health Organisation on his excellent article in The Lancet of 28th October; notes with deep concern his revelation that in vitro fertilisation techniques carry substantial risks for both mothers and infants, are expensive, and are of benefit to only a few mothers; notes in particular that research demonstrates that the frequency of adverse outcomes among babies born after IVF is higher than after normal conception, that the babies are more likely to be of low birth weight, that death rates of newborn infants are twice those for normal pregnancies, that the mothers face an increased risk of bloodclots, stroke, heart attacks and ovarian cancer; and welcomes the author's conclusion that financial and manpower resources should be directed towards strategies to prevent infertility and that in the best interests of the health of women and their babies these IVF techniques should be treated as experimental and not be made widely available under the National Health Service.

This motion has been signed by a total of 10 MPs.