Family Created

The Family Created

The dream of a getting married, starting a family , a house with a white picket fence, two kids and a dog eludes a huge number of couples in America and abroad. The perfect picture of a family is usually made complete with the addition of children. There are now more options to create a family than the traditional natural conception. The advances in technology have opened up the option of assisted reproduction such as artificial insemination, invitro fertilization, donor egg or sperm, and assisted hatching. Another option for family creation is adoption. Each option has advantages and drawbacks. With either option there are emotional, financial, and moral issues associated with these options. Finding a perfect fit for the fertility impaired couple, each option, assisted reproduction, or adoption, must be reviewed and weighed for the emotional, moral, and financial aspects, to see whether the end justifies the means.

It is important to explain the emotional issues associated with infertility. A couple who has tried for many months to conceive a child and find that there are physical issues that are causing this continued problem, are emotionally mortified. The shock causes feelings of loss and failure that at affect the very core of a person, delivers a terrible blow to their self esteem and self value. Once the shock has passed and decisions need to be made about the option of assisted reproduction or adoption, a whole new slew of emotions arise.

In assisted reproduction the initial testing and prodding and digging into the couples lives and sexual history causes a huge amount stress and emotional strain. There are skeletons in the closet for most people that are exposed, in an attempt to find a cause for the infertility. The secrets exposed very possibly can lead to a breakdown of the trust respect and bonds for a couple, discussions then become loaded and judgmental. Once the testing is over and the relationship is back on a somewhat even keel, the treatment plan comes along. The person who is found to have the main infertility problem suffers additional emotional trauma besides being the cause of the problem they are now being pumped with either pills or shots of hormones. These hormones cause such a change in that persons chemistry their emotions are swinging from moment to moment. The time comes near for the plan to ...

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...range of $3000.00, just to find the root of the fertility problem. The range of costs for the medications associated with the procedures can be anywhere from $10,000 to $18,000 for one cycle. Many couples do not have insurance policies that will cover the costs, because it is generally deemed as elective.

For adoption the costs can be free if state adoption is a consideration. The children that are wards of the court have been victims of some sort of abuse. Infants usually have been abandoned or are drug addicted. The time involved in seeking termination of parental rights is a drawn out process. The other options for adoption would be either private domestic adoption or foreign adoption. The costs for either are in the ranges of $8,000 to $25,000.

In review, both assisted reproduction and adoption come at extremely high costs, emotionally, morally and financially. The decision in choosing one or none depend heavily on the situation and desperation of the people who are trying to create a family. The considerations are great and the outcome is dependant on many outside individuals. The question still remains which end justifies the means for the perfect family.