Science, the good and the bad.
The first human egg cells that have been grown entirely in the laboratory from stem cells could be fertilised later this year in a development that will revolutionise fertility treatment and might even lead to a reversal of the menopause in older women.
Scientists are about to request a licence from the UK fertility watchdog to fertilise the eggs as part of a series of tests to generate an unlimited supply of human eggs, a breakthrough that could help infertile women to have babies as well as making women as fertile in later life as men.
Producing human eggs from stem cells would also open up the possibility of replenishing the ovaries of older women so that they do not suffer the age-related health problems associated with the menopause, from osteoporosis to heart disease.
Some scientists are even suggesting the possibility of producing an “elixir of youth” for women, where the menopause is eradicated and older women will retain the health they enjoyed when younger.
April 7, 2012 at 4:23 pm
Sick, sick, sick..we live in one sick world. Growing older and facing hardships is part of life–otherwise this would be heaven.
April 7, 2012 at 5:08 pm
A new way of "using" others.
April 7, 2012 at 5:33 pm
I think this was mentioned over at Mary meets Dolly a while back in the context of it being possible for aborted babies to have children.
They probably wouldn't go that far, much more useful to kill the kid, harvest the eggs, scrape out the egg cells and use that. Getting eggs from adult women looks bad and is expensive.
April 7, 2012 at 5:47 pm
http://www.rts.ch/emissions/36-9/3869304-fecondation-in-vitro-menaces-dans-l-eprouvette.html
April 7, 2012 at 5:53 pm
???
What's a French post about the health issues faced by IVF kids got to do with it? Other than the whole "The Church might have a point" side….
April 7, 2012 at 6:52 pm
With women not going through menopause we need lots more free contraception!
April 7, 2012 at 7:42 pm
What could go wrong?
How were we to know?
April 7, 2012 at 7:55 pm
I am 48 years old and beginning to show signs of menopause. I haven't had any big problems like hot flashes, etc. from it, so maybe I'm not the one to talk, but I've always wondered, what IS the big deal about menopause? I'm kind of looking forward to no longer having those monthly visits from Aunt Flo, if you know what I mean….
Seriously, though, menopause is a natural process, NOT a "disease" any more than pregnancy or fertility are; but given that the latter two are so often treated by the medical profession as if they were diseases, I guess it's no surprise that menopause is as well.
Or maybe it's like the previous poster said… abolish menopause and women will need "lots more free contraception" for the rest of their lives!
Elaine
April 7, 2012 at 8:00 pm
This does not end up anywhere good
April 7, 2012 at 8:44 pm
Making eggs from a woman's own stem cells would be a blessing for women who are very legitimately infertile or who have gone through premature menopause because of disease. Just because this technology can be misused doesn't mean all of its applications are illicit.
Catholics are right to condemn the ethics of the initial research. They are right to question the feasibility of extended childbearing, and the claims of justice and charity that apply. However, they must do it by carefully defining ethical boundaries with a great amount of sensitivity to suffering people, or the medical community will think that they're just a bunch of cranky Luddites and ignore them altogether.
You do not have the luxury and simplicity of force. You have only persuasion. Bring your A game, or the battle is lost.
April 7, 2012 at 9:00 pm
However, they must do it by carefully defining ethical boundaries with a great amount of sensitivity to suffering people, or the medical community will think that they're just a bunch of cranky Luddites and ignore them altogether.
They'll think that no matter what.
(incidentally, we already do have carefully defined boundaries. The problem is that they respect all humans, and put the lives, rights and health of the unborn as having higher priority than "suffering people." (Oddly, always seems to mean "those who are sympathetic wedges for whatever they're currently proposing.")
April 7, 2012 at 10:04 pm
Gosh, I would have to chart for another 30 years? How awful! I'm 41 and looking forward to menopause.
April 8, 2012 at 12:21 am
Amen, Father Peckman!
Karl
April 8, 2012 at 4:14 pm
We as humans need to accept the human body and stop trying to play God to even reverse Menopause. Furthermore this is a very personal issue for women and I don't know why this is even being debated on a Catholic Blog site. Why don't you worry more about the fact that we are losing this beloved country to a bunch of global elites who want to take over every facet of life and also wants to enslave us. Stick the danger we are in and stop talking about trivial things like "Change of Life" revolutions.
April 8, 2012 at 4:18 pm
Stick the danger we are in and stop talking about trivial things like "Change of Life" revolutions.
Isn't there some kind of line about gaining the whole world but losing your soul?
April 9, 2012 at 12:57 am
"…This does not end up anywhere good…"
The 2012 quote of the year!
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April 9, 2012 at 12:59 am
What's with the picture at the header?
I thought you guys were non-denominational Jews?
Nice picture.
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April 9, 2012 at 7:28 pm
I really hope the children of tomorrow aren't totally genetically engineered…