Forum
Human Cloning Foundation Hails British Scientists
Paralyzed
Walk Again
Childless Couples
Essays
The Benefits of
Human Cloning
All the Reasons to
Clone Human Beings
The Top Ten Myths
about Human Cloning
Human Cloning is the Cure for Infertility
Infertility is
a Disease
Books
People
Reports
Archives
Feedback
Donate
Links
Website Links
About Us
Contact Us
Site history
Site Map
Past Books of the Month
John Kunich's Books
Copyright
Illegal Beings: Human Clones
Normalcy Among Children
libfemme ( 04/14/2004, 09:26:58 )The argument that children created by cloning would, some how, be psychologically damaged I find spurious. It is grasping at straws. No one else seriously worries about the details of his own conception. The moment of your conception tells you a lot about your parent's life and none at all about yours. Your parents may commemorate the memory of your conception. You, on the other hand, celebrate your birthday!For years wild claims of maladjustment have been predicted for children born by assisted reproduction. None of them have been born out.In 2001 the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology released a study they had done of teenagers who had been conceived by IVF. They found them to be growing up as normally as any teenager does. A continuing study of 400 families from Italy, Spain, Britain and the Netherlands examined the quality of parenting and the psychological development of children. Researchers compared IVF families, IVF families that used donated sperm, families with naturally conceived children and those with adopted children. Fears that parents of IVF babies might turn out to be overprotective or have unrealistic expectations of their children were not found to be true. Critics had hypothesized that fathers of children born from donated sperm might be more distant and might not fully accept the children as their own. "Contrary to concerns that had been raised . . . these much-wanted children were found to be well adjusted and there was no evidence of emotional or behavioral problems." Susan Golombok, director of the Family and Child Psychology Research Centre, London. According to the Associated Press "In the study, mothers and fathers were questioned separately and the children were interviewed about school and their parents. Teachers were also asked about the children's behaviour or emotional problems at school. Overall, there was no difference in the psychological or emotional health of the children, who were equally disciplined by their parents. And in some areas, it appeared IVF children may be slightly better off, the study found. "Assisted-reproduction children were less likely to be aggressive with their peers than naturally conceived children and they reported less criticism and rejection from their mother and father," Golombok said. She believed part of the reason that these children may be happier than their counterparts is that they are particularly precious to their parents, who had to struggle to have them. The study also found that fathers in IVF or sperm donation families seemed to have warmer and less authoritarian relationships with their children than fathers of naturally conceived or adopted children, she said. Cloning is but another method of assisted reproduction and its outcome can be expected to be the same as for IVF children. Children are children, however they are created. It's what happens to them after they are born that matters.
This Message is being posted for educational purposes, as well as for comment and criticism, by the visitors to the HumanCloning.org Foundation website (www.HumanCloning.org ).
Disclaimer: Information provided on this web site is for educatonal purposes only. It is not a substitute for, nor can it replace advice from your own physician.
HumanCloning.org™ Established December 11, 2002.
Who's Afraid of Human Cloning?
Disease Prevention and Treatment