A little venom
A little venom is directed today at the highly regarded Dr. Gi.llian Lo.ck.woo.d, who 'appeared' today on Radio 4's today programme to irritate the f**k out of me.
She is, in fact, the Dr who first 'treated' me once the NHS had said I was beyond their help.
Now she putting on record that women who consider it important that at some time in their lives to have child(ren) should FREEZE their eggs in their EARLY 30's.
It is SO-O-O-O-O difficult to get pregnant once you are over about 36, and EVEN if you are clever enough to manage to do that, the risk of miscarriage is S-O-O-O-O-O high because (and this is what made me want to KILL HER) 'the eggs are quite simply beyond their sell-by date'.
It isn't that I don't want younger women to be aware that eggs get older, and so on, or to not have babies later in life simply because they didn't have that information, but PLEASE - is there anyone out there that doesn't find this sort of CRASS remark either (a) depressing, (b) pressurising or (c) plain insulting?
Or is it just me?
She is, in fact, the Dr who first 'treated' me once the NHS had said I was beyond their help.
Now she putting on record that women who consider it important that at some time in their lives to have child(ren) should FREEZE their eggs in their EARLY 30's.
It is SO-O-O-O-O difficult to get pregnant once you are over about 36, and EVEN if you are clever enough to manage to do that, the risk of miscarriage is S-O-O-O-O-O high because (and this is what made me want to KILL HER) 'the eggs are quite simply beyond their sell-by date'.
It isn't that I don't want younger women to be aware that eggs get older, and so on, or to not have babies later in life simply because they didn't have that information, but PLEASE - is there anyone out there that doesn't find this sort of CRASS remark either (a) depressing, (b) pressurising or (c) plain insulting?
Or is it just me?
posted by Country Chick at
5:40 pm
8 Comments:
Oh yes, I totally agree. They've got to find a way to strike a balance between informing us and being patronising. Why can't the media do simple, unbiased reporting. Oh. wait...
By
Thalia, at 6:22 pm
No, it's not just you. "Sell-by date" is crass as hell, in addition to being (a)-(c).
By
Anonymous, at 8:29 pm
I heard her on Radio 5 where she was in a dialogue with another IVF doctor (whom I saw for a consultation last month). He at least emphasised that egg freezing has very low success rates so far, and he's concerned that it would give women a false sense of security.
I completely agree, GL is very annoying. I'm guessing her main motive is to procure more subjects for her research.
By
Anonymous, at 8:54 pm
I just let it wash over me... but I was on my way to a funeral, and am in a "whatever" mood.
I did think she was advocating availability on the NHS, but I also thought it wasn't that good yet, too.
By
DrSpouse, at 9:51 pm
I should say that as I shouted the comments from GL to R, (he was in the bathroom and couldn't hear the radio) he said "Funny that, and I daresay she is offering the treatment at her very expensive clinic?" which is almost certainly the case, and with regard to the sell by date having passed - "she can prove that's the reason for miscarriage, can she?" which is also a very fair point. I think this whole thing has got to me so badly because she always just treated me as if I was stupid to have any expectation of motherhood at my age. But isn't a whole part of the problem the fact that there is so much pressure on women when they are at their most 'reproductively productive' time of their lives anyway?
BTW - Thalia - your 2nd comment disappeared, which I can't figure out - I got it into my email account though.
By
Country Chick, at 9:02 am
I totally agree, we dont need to hear it. Its not something we out off for years just because we did - its something we unfortunately put off because thats how our life plan worked out - it is depressing & pressuring & horrible to hear!!!
By
Nicky, at 4:30 am
Oh, she was IVF-rent-a-gob all last week. I just use the mute button now.
By
Pamplemousse, at 12:57 pm
I must say it sucks to knwo we have a sell by date. In my case. they ignored our MF for just long enough for my eggs to "expire" (I was 35 when we started, but 37 when they figured out it was actually him.)
Anyway, she is not very kind to be so crass. And I have also come to the conclusion that while some maybe even most doctors care, it IS A BUSINESS first, and a helping profession as an aside.
JMHO
By
beagle, at 10:45 pm
Post a Comment
<< Home