Countless barren Chinese couples for countless years have, accordingly, undergone significant suffering, subjected to endless subtle (and not so subtle) criticisms and pressures.
Little wonder, then, that the delivery of the Republic of China's first test tube baby (on April 16, at the Veterans General Hospital in Taipei) was a major news item here in the Chinese heartland.
The birth of this special baby—a boy—was slightly ahead of schedule. Arriving via Caesarean section, he weighed in at 6.16 pounds and measured 47 cm. And with him, the Republic of China joined the elite international "Test Tube Baby Club."
The new baby, the hearts' desire of 35-year-old Lt. Col. Chang Chien-jen and his 31-year-old wife, Shu-hui, was finally granted via the miracles of modern medicine six long years after their wedding day. The couple determined to try the test-tube route, following confirmation of Mrs. Chang's fallopian tube blockage, in an in-vitro fertilization program that had been initiated by the Veterans General Hospital in October 1983.
Dr. Heung-tat Ng —"Positive results."
"Actually, we paid very close attention to developments in this field since the birth of the world's first test tube baby, Louise Brown, on July 25, 1978 at Britain's Oldham General Hospital. Our effort was initiated two years ago by Dr. Heung-tat Ng, chairman of the department of Obstetrics & Gynecology. We vigorously embarked on a full program following affirmation of two premises: That it conforms to significant local needs, and that related departments of our hospital, for example, the Nuclear Medicine Department, had the capability of providing indispensable cooperation and assistance," declared Tso Chi-hsun, Veterans General president, at a seminar organized by the Taipei daily China Times.
Interviewed at his small, neat office in the hospital's Obstetrics Center, Dr. Ng expanded: "An informal survey revealed a sterility rate here of roughly 15 percent. On determining that such coordinate prerequisites as techniques for laparoscopy, cell-cultivation, and ultrasonic scanning had arrived at a local maturity, a task force for the test tube baby program was organized.
"In the first stage, the task force concentrated on animal experiments, and it was determined that the vitality of the sperm, rather than quantity, held the key to successful fertilization. Our experiments produced positive results in April 1984, and we then applied the results clinically."
A native of Kwangtung Province on the mainland, Dr. Ng, 48, has served 22 years with Veterans General—since his graduation from the National Defense Medical Center.
"We did not particularly select Mr. and Mrs. Chang," he noted. "Her conception of the first ROC baby conceived via a test tube is by chance."
"Actually," he went on, "for those who wish to proceed with in-vitro fertilization, we have rather strictly-enforced requirements: They must be married, under 40, and provide both their own ovum and sperm. In the near future, at least, we have no intention of relaxing these regulations.
"Among the 142 cases we have accepted, 70 percent demonstrated fallopian tube disorders, either blocked or beyond repair; 15 percent were suffering from serious adenomyosis; and 10 percent were noted for sperm scarcity or unknown reasons."
"But, compared to the pregnancy rates of 25 to 40 percent achieved in other countries, our 6.2 percent success rate lags rather far behind. Improving our score is the focus of our present efforts," he said.
Dr. Hsiang-tai Chao—"The doctor's responsibility."
Dr. Hsiang-tai Chao, another member of the hospital task force, was scheduled at this writing to be off on advanced studies of cryo-preservation of embryos at the Royal Women's Hospital of the University of Melbourne in Australia. He talked about related considerations of task force members:
"Of course, we are glad that our strenuous efforts have not been in vain. But honestly speaking, we aren't as worried about the technical problems as the disturbing moral, ethical, social, legal, and religious implications. The fundamental concept of early scientists-that science is only concerned about truth—is no longer totally applicable today. Conscientious scientists must bear moral responsibility for their research."
Tsao, commenting on the not infrequently offered criticism that it "is crazy, to go on with test tube babies here since Taiwan Province is already overpopulated," pointed out that the Manifesto of Human Rights, adopted in 1948 in Geneva, "clearly stipulates that everyone is entitled to the right to have children.
"And codes since the time of Hippocrates, father of medicine," he added, "have reiterated the doctor's responsibility to alleviate the suffering of patients.
"Only the attending physician will understand the yearning and pain of those couples who want children but are infertile. I think it is our responsibility to free them from these real tortures. They are a small minority in our society."
Of all the people involved in the program, none are happier than the baby's parents. Mrs. Chang, apprised of the arrival of a healthy, normal baby, burst into tears of joy. Mrs. Chang said, later, that she, herself, was not under very much direct psychological pressure, because both her husband and mother-in-law entirely accepted the fact of her infertility.
In her initial period of test-tube pregnancy, like most other pregnant women, she suffered from nausea, irregular appetite, etc. She even resigned from her job as an accountant to better nurture her hard-to-get baby.
Now, test-tube twins are expected by another couple, in August. And the ensuing progression of test tube babies promises medical, ethical, psychological, social, and legal hurdles for this ... and all involved societies.