Ban on research claims tiny casualties
(cz) The human womb is, ideally, a single-occupancy dwelling. One baby at a time is what women’s bodies are marvelously calibrated to conceive and carry. One baby has lots of room for brain growth and organ development; one baby is (relatively) easy to deliver; one baby will usually have at least nine months of close parental bonding before another sibling possibly comes along.
Yet in the past 30 years, this country has experienced a stunning escalation in multiple births. The number of babies born as triplets, quadruplets or even more rose from about 900 in 1972 to 7, 275 in 2004. That same year, the highest number of twins ever were born - 132, 000, nearly double the number born in 1980. Not coincidentally, there has also been a rise in premature births, infants born with low birth weights and disorders - such as cerebral palsy - that can occur when a premature baby’s brain is insufficiently developed.
In the debate over federal funding for embryonic stem cell research, these facts need to be talked about. The broad U.S. ban on embryo research funding is one major undiscussed cause of our epidemic of multiple births. We need to consider embryo research as something important to the health of mothers and infants. more…
From: »tampabay.com« (The Washington Post)