Lto Law 40 on assisted reproduction turns 20, but although requests are increasing, it is still difficult to talk about infertility, sometimes forgetting that today medicine and science have made incredible progress. For this reason the IVI clinics of Milan, Rome and Bari will be dedicated to those who wish to become parents on Saturday 10 February to make a first free online visit with fertility specialists.
Assisted fertilization, when
About 15% of Italian couples are affected by infertility problems. In women it happens especially in relation to age because as the years pass, the ovarian reserve decreases. In the case of men, however, reproductive abilities are more influenced by factors such as bad habits, tobacco, alcohol, etc.
Much better to talk about it
In our country, the law 40 of 2004 allows the use of medically assisted procreation only “if there are no other effective therapeutic methods to remove the causes of sterility or infertility”. The overcoming of some limits of the Law over the years, led to a real boom in Pma in our country. But people still have a great need for accurate information. The initiative was organized with the intention of offering a moment of discussion between doctor and patient to resolve as many doubts as possible on the topic.
Assisted reproduction has had a boom in recent years, but there are still many doubts (Getty Images)
There are still too many doubts about assisted reproduction
«Often – explains Dr. Daniela Galliano, specialist in Obstetrics, Gynecology and Reproductive Medicine, head of the Pma Ivi center in Rome – couples who come to us have limited knowledge of the infertility problemà and possible solutions. Knowing the state of your fertility and the strategies to protect it is a gift you give yourself and with this initiative we want to be alongside our patients who have a wonderful dream like giving birth to a child, but need a guide at their side who explains all the possible solutions.” The visits will be held from 9am to 1pm and can be booked on the toll-free number 800088247.
Law 40, how it has changed
Particularly controversial, Law 40 has undergone notable changes over time: for example, the ban on heterologous fertilization has been eliminated, or when the male seed or the female egg comes from a person external to the couple. And then the maximum limit of the production of three embryos and the obligation to implant embryos at the same time, considered incompatible with the principles of protection of women’s health, were eliminated. Furthermore, today it is possible to use a procedure that allows the presence of any genetic and chromosomal alterations to be ascertained before proceeding with the implantation of the embryos.
What is still missing
But unfortunately, the law in our country still has many limits: prohibits access to heterologous fertilization by homosexual couples or single women, for example. And it is not yet possible to send embryos unsuitable for pregnancy to science to continue studies on the treatment of diseases. The hope is therefore that the Law increases them by allowing everyone to become parentswithout exception, you want it.
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