Birth rate of twins and triplets is set to increase as more Australian women undergoing in-vitro fertilization (IVF) insist doctors to implant multiple embryos to reduce the cost of fertility treatment.
Despite multiple births carrying a five-fold greater risk of death, premature delivery or other complications, clinic chiefs say more couples are taking the chance.
According to experts, cuts to health care rebate have pushed up patient costs by about $1500 for each IVF cycle, forcing many to delay or abandon attempts to conceive. There is more pressure from cash-strapped patients to implant multiple embryos to boost chances of pregnancy in one cycle, Sydney Morning Herald reported.
'They're saying, we understand that it's more dangerous but we can't afford to do another cycle so we'll have two embryos put back and we'll deal with the consequences. If our (premature) baby... has to have eight weeks in intensive care, well medicare pays for that,' said Gab Kovacs, international medical director at Monash IVF in Melbourne.
Medical director of Fertility First in Hurstville, Anne Clark, said while some patients asked for more than a single-embryo transfer, more opted out of having a second child through IVF.
IVF Australia medical director and Fertility Society president Peter Illingworth said the trend would affect the health system.
'There can be long-term health complications for twins born as a result of IVF,' he said.
'Ideally, we would like to put one embryo in at a time because of those risks but we are getting more pressure from patients to do two.'
In January, federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon capped Medicare safety net payments - which paid 80 percent of the gap between doctors' fees and the Medicare rebate - after a review found specialists were charging patients excessive fees.
According to government, patients would be no worse off if specialists charged $6000, the cost of a typical cycle. But doctors said the average cycle cost up to $7500, or higher if patients required extra treatment.
Sandra Dill, from infertility support group Access Australia, said it had been receiving 30 to 40 calls and e-mails a week since the changes, from patients complaining to be under increased financial stress.
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Prisoner's legal bid for IVF treatment
A Supreme Court judge has ordered a speedy trial for a Victorian prisoner seeking IVF treatment.
Kimberley Castles, 45, has a year left on her sentence for welfare fraud at the Tarrengower Prison near Maldon, north-west of Melbourne.
She has to have IVF treatment before her 46th birthday in seven months, otherwise she becomes ineligible for the procedure.
Her bid to access immediate treatment was refused in court today.
But her lawyer, Rachel Ball, says she is pleased the court has decided to expedite the trial.
"The key human rights in this case are Kimberley's right to privacy, to make her own decisions about her own family, her right to be treated fairly in prison," she said.
"That includes her right to access health care equivalent to the health care that's available to everyone else in the community."
Kimberley Castles, 45, has a year left on her sentence for welfare fraud at the Tarrengower Prison near Maldon, north-west of Melbourne.
She has to have IVF treatment before her 46th birthday in seven months, otherwise she becomes ineligible for the procedure.
Her bid to access immediate treatment was refused in court today.
But her lawyer, Rachel Ball, says she is pleased the court has decided to expedite the trial.
"The key human rights in this case are Kimberley's right to privacy, to make her own decisions about her own family, her right to be treated fairly in prison," she said.
"That includes her right to access health care equivalent to the health care that's available to everyone else in the community."
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Sunday, May 2, 2010
Saturday, May 1, 2010
How to read Bar Codes ... Interesting!
With all the food and pet products now coming from China , it is best to make sure you read labels at the grocery store and especially Walmart when buying food products. Many products no longer show where they were made, only give where the distributor is located. It is important to read the bar code to track it's origin.
The whole world is afraid of China-made "black hearted goods".
Can you differentiate which one is made in Taiwan or China ?
If the first 3 digits of the barcode are 690, 691 or 692, the product is MADE IN CHINA .
471 is Made in Taiwan .
This is our right to know, but the government and related departments never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves.
Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products "MADE IN CHINA ", so they don't show from which country it is made.
However, you may now refer to the Barcode, remember if the first 3 digits are:
690-692 ... then it is MADE IN CHINA
00 - 09 ... USA & CANADA
30 - 37 ... FRANCE
40 - 44 ... GERMANY
47 ... Taiwan
49 ... JAPAN
50 ... UK
BUY USA & CANADIAN MADE by watching for "0" at the beginning of the number
The whole world is afraid of China-made "black hearted goods".
Can you differentiate which one is made in Taiwan or China ?
If the first 3 digits of the barcode are 690, 691 or 692, the product is MADE IN CHINA .
471 is Made in Taiwan .
This is our right to know, but the government and related departments never educate the public, therefore we have to RESCUE ourselves.
Nowadays, Chinese businessmen know that consumers do not prefer products "MADE IN CHINA ", so they don't show from which country it is made.
However, you may now refer to the Barcode, remember if the first 3 digits are:
690-692 ... then it is MADE IN CHINA
00 - 09 ... USA & CANADA
30 - 37 ... FRANCE
40 - 44 ... GERMANY
47 ... Taiwan
49 ... JAPAN
50 ... UK
BUY USA & CANADIAN MADE by watching for "0" at the beginning of the number
Friday, April 30, 2010
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