Updated | Two embryos currently frozen at Mater Dei

Two embryos are currently frozen at Mater Dei Hospital, after the mother fell seriously ill after the two eggs were taken from her and fertilised during an IVF (in-vitrio fertilisation) cycle treatment but before they could be implanted in the mother, according to Health Minister Chris Fearne.

Fearne, who was addressing parliament on Tuesday on a motion he presented to approve the estimates for the Embryo Protection Authority Act, said that these were the only two embryos frozen, and that this practice was allowed under the 2012 Embryo Protection Act.

He explained that in this case, and as provided by law, the Authority had decided to freeze the two embryos some weeks ago after the mother fell seriously ill and had even spent some time in the Intensive Therapy Unit.

Fearne said this was the only case where the law provided for the provision of the freezing of embryos, but said he had asked t the Bioethics Committee to consider other circumstances where it could become legal to freeze embryos.

“Such cases could involve the very rare instances where three eggs are fertilised in a cycle, and since it could be a health hazard – for the mother and the babies – to have all three embryos implanted in the mother, the Authority could decide to freeze one of the embryos,” he said.

Fearne said that 42 babies have been born following IVF treatment since January 2015, while another 37 women were currently pregnant after having gone through the fertilisation cycle,

A further 40 couples had just undergone treatment in the past few days.

He said that the average cost for the IVF cycle treatment at Mater Dei Hospital was €7,000 and that government had spect €770,000 on IVF cycles in 2016 and was estimated to spend €1.3 million in 2017.

Fearne said the use of technology to help get more babies born was a positive thing and was to be encouraged.

Opposition MP Clyde Puli said it was difficult to compare results obtained in IVF treatment in Malta with other countries and that we should also not adopt off-the-shelf procedures or legislations.

He called for further research on infertility in Malta and into whether this was on the increase, and said he would also expect further debate on other issues like adoption and fostering.

Labour MP Ian Debattista said that no one sould embark on crusades when ethical issues were discussed.

Labour MP Godfrey Farrugia said that the health service in Malta protected the life of the embryo as well as that of the mother, because the embryo was the first natural phase of human development.

He noted that the IVF treatment in Malta resulted in a 28.3% pregnancy rate with a take-home baby rate of 18.9%.

Fertilisation after the freezing of sperm or oocyte registered a 21% success rate, he said.

Farrugia said that these statistics, coupled with claims of increased risks for the mother, had led to requests for the country to adopt an embryo-freezing method that would mirror the success registered in some other countries.

“If this happens, if we copy legislation that does not protect the concept of life, this parliament would be guilty of complicity in a crime,” he said.

“Who are we to decide which embryo is to be implanted in the woman’s uterus and which are to be frozen?”

Farrugia said that everyone should recognise that assisted reproductive technology was a technical, specialised scientific subject that encroaches into issues of an ethical and moral nature.

He asked how the Authority would deal with the existing protocol once the Equality Act forces doctors to provide IVF treatment to women over 43 years of age is they requested it, despite the risks and difficulties that the age of the applicants would cause.

“How will the Authority deal with being forced to provide IVF treament to transgender and single mothers and to same-sex couples?” Farrugia asked.

He said these were complex and sensitive issues of civil rights, but insisted they were nothing compared to the harsh reality of deciding which embryo to freeze, when it was a well-known fact that 10% of embryos died from thawing after freezing.

Shadow health minister Claudette Buttigieg said there was nothing wrong in NGOs promoting life, and that they should not be seen as crusaders at all costs.

She dismissed Labour MP Etienne Grech’s recommendation that the Embryo Protection Authority’s name be changed.

She said the authority’s name served to help remind everyone why the legislation was drawn up in the first place and what was important.