Informal Essay- Multiple Misjudgments

Victoria Esztelecky
ENG4U
Mr. Hindley
March 1st 2009

Multiple Misjudgments

I have always loved to take care of children. A frequent babysitter, I confess I do find it exhausting to look after four little girls under the age of seven. I dread babysitting on school nights when homework, reading, baths, dinner, and violin practicing can be enough to put me over the edge. Oh yes, dinner time is often like feeding time at the zoo. Extra time, energy, and money must be put into everything. On a recent trip to a water park it took three adults to safely accompany the four little girls on the various attractions. The admission price was astronomical. I thought about this family when I read of the recent birth of octuplets to a mother who already had six children.
Nadya Suleman’s doctor should not have allowed her to have six embryos implanted through invitro. Firstly, Nadya already had six kids under the age of seven. Three of these children have disabilities. I can not imagine how Nadya felt she had enough time for all her children then! She is a single parent and could not afford outside help. Fertility doctors exist to help people who desperately want a child. Nadya was lucky. She had six kids; she didn’t need more, certainly not at that time. Secondly, there was no reason for six embryos to be implanted. Guidelines recommend implanting no more than two into women under 35, such as Nadya. Nadya’s doctor knew her success with her past pregnancies, and should not have been concerned that the procedure would be unsuccessful. The doctor was aware that Nadya was against selective reduction, should it be an issue, and should have taken that into consideration as well. Thirdly, the mother of 14 is currently unemployed. She has not been working for some time and is living with her children at her parent’s house. Her mother declared bankruptcy last year. The family receives food stamps each month. Clearly, this is not a family who could have afforded even one more child.
A fertility doctor’s responsibility is to determine whether the mother is able to properly care for a child. It is a complicated process, full of ethical qualms, which is why doctors have the right to refuse patients whom they do not think are suitable. Big money is paid to these doctors because they have to make these hard decisions. In this case, Nadya’s doctor should have done more research and considered what was in the best interest of his patients, both the mother and the possible babies.
I wish Nadya the best of luck. We can agree on one thing. I love children, too. However, loving children means doing what’s best for the ones you already have. If you really love kids, you have as many as you can properly look after. My biggest concern with Nadya’s story is the actions of her doctor. He knew, or should have known, her situation, and even then went through with the invitro. I hope that there are serious repercussions for his behavior, and that it doesn’t happen again.