Anguille
Bane of the Urbane
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Grievous Choice on Risky Path to Parenthood
By STEPHANIE SAUL
Published: October 11, 2009
It was the last piece of advice Thomas and Amanda Stansel wanted to hear. But their fertility doctor was delivering it, without sugarcoating.
Reduce, or you will lose them all, he told them.
.......
The process of selective reduction involves injecting potassium chloride to the heart region of the fetuses, which then generally disappear on their own, absorbed into surrounding tissue.
.........
For the Stansels, the decision was influenced by their membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church generally opposes abortion. After learning that Mrs. Stansel was carrying sextuplets, the Stansels decided to meet with church elders and consult with a reduction specialist.
It just never felt right, Mr. Stansel said. We prayed many nights. A lot of sleepless nights. Originally we thought we might do the reduction. We chose to carry all six and, we believe, let God do what hes going to do.
....
The babies Ashlyn, Braden, Dallin, Haley, Kaitlyn and Rachel ranged in weight from 12.3 ounces to 1 pound, 1 ounce. They were each less than a foot long.
Dallin was the first to die. Blood seeped into his lungs from an open heart valve, the Stansels said. Kaitlyn soon followed. Braden lived for two weeks before an infection entered his trachea and killed him.
He fought hard, said Mr. Stansel, 32. His lungs just got so inflated, they crowded out his heart.
....
Ashlyn, the most severely ill of the three remaining babies, died Sunday night after experiencing kidney failure.
For the full article go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/health/12fertility.html?_r=1
Two babies left, both in critical condition.
Was it cruel not to reduce the number of fetuses as the doctor urged the parents to do? The babies suffered horrible deaths, far worse than what the reduction procedure entailed.
Is letting "God do what he's going to do" a way to avoid responsibility?
By STEPHANIE SAUL
Published: October 11, 2009
It was the last piece of advice Thomas and Amanda Stansel wanted to hear. But their fertility doctor was delivering it, without sugarcoating.
Reduce, or you will lose them all, he told them.
.......
The process of selective reduction involves injecting potassium chloride to the heart region of the fetuses, which then generally disappear on their own, absorbed into surrounding tissue.
.........
For the Stansels, the decision was influenced by their membership in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The church generally opposes abortion. After learning that Mrs. Stansel was carrying sextuplets, the Stansels decided to meet with church elders and consult with a reduction specialist.
It just never felt right, Mr. Stansel said. We prayed many nights. A lot of sleepless nights. Originally we thought we might do the reduction. We chose to carry all six and, we believe, let God do what hes going to do.
....
The babies Ashlyn, Braden, Dallin, Haley, Kaitlyn and Rachel ranged in weight from 12.3 ounces to 1 pound, 1 ounce. They were each less than a foot long.
Dallin was the first to die. Blood seeped into his lungs from an open heart valve, the Stansels said. Kaitlyn soon followed. Braden lived for two weeks before an infection entered his trachea and killed him.
He fought hard, said Mr. Stansel, 32. His lungs just got so inflated, they crowded out his heart.
....
Ashlyn, the most severely ill of the three remaining babies, died Sunday night after experiencing kidney failure.
For the full article go to http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/12/health/12fertility.html?_r=1
Two babies left, both in critical condition.
Was it cruel not to reduce the number of fetuses as the doctor urged the parents to do? The babies suffered horrible deaths, far worse than what the reduction procedure entailed.
Is letting "God do what he's going to do" a way to avoid responsibility?
