I work as an embryologist. I am the super scientist that makes IVF babies (test tube babies, logically petri dish babies but, nvm). IVF is more than an invasive procedure. There is so much emotion involved. Couples come to me (us) after multiple failures of achieving a pregnancy naturally in hopes of conceiving and having a baby (immediately in the first attempt). Most often these couples have a tragic history of infertility for several years and it usually takes more than one IVF attempt for these couples. You might wonder why people go through such an emotionally and physically draining procedure, one might just adopt. The thing is, once couples go beyond 2 IVF cycles, they are two feet too deep into this and there is only one goal. Go home with a baby. And the doctors and us support the couple’s decision. After a few years of practice this sort of bleeds into our work at least that is the justification I can give from the medical practioner’s side.

The patient’s goal becomes our goal. I personally know some clinicians and embryologists who would do things just to get a pregnancy. Some aspects can be legally bound but not ethical. And some aspects can be completely illegal but, is covered up. For example, before 2022 there was no governing body for the IVF practice within India apart from the PCPNDT which bans sex determination. There were no laws regarding the practice of IVF. So the practice was either ethical or unethical. In the sense that it was the clinician’s decision to protect the patient going in for IVF. Can unethical stuff be done to arrive at a pregnancy is a question that lingers around our field, something beyond personal morals all to protect the patient’s interest? Because at the end of the day we are here to serve the patient’s but, does that mean we should and would do anything to keep them happy?

I am in the strong opinion that medical practitioners should do what is ethical and legal. We cannot afford to go out of the way to help patients. Patients these days are very well read. They give themselves a diagnosis and come to the hospital for the prognosis. However, they have not spent most of their lives studying and practicing medicine. Sometimes, they certainly do not know the medical and legal implications of their request. Many times I’ve been asked to select sperms that carry sperms with Y chromosomes to fertilize the egg so that the pregnancy would result in a male baby. This is impossible to do without genetic testing but this data is available online as a theory. These are well educated and affluent patients who know that sex selection is banned in our country. At the end of the day, the medical professionals involved in the procedure are scrutinized. Again it boils down to the question, do we do anything to protect the patient’s interest? After all we are here to serve the patient.