Sounds appalling to some, a dream come true to others, I am sure. When I first heard about a "baby" lottery, I thought, no way, how can this be legal? But it is not a "baby" lottery in the way you might think.
This lottery is legal, sanctioned by the UK Gambling Commission and granted to a nonprofit company called To Hatch. You don't "win a baby" as the media sensationalized the Lottery when it was announced earlier this month. The winners receive 25,000 pounds or roughly $40,000 worth of expertise and technology available to try to become pregnant. For those who have faced infertility or been denied access to treatment provided by the British National Health Service (NHS), a winning ticket means hope-and the possibility--of having the baby they always wanted but were unable to conceive or try to conceive without costly medical assistance.
In England, the IVF lottery criticism has been ample and negative. For example, the Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority (HFEA), said, "using IVF as the prize in a lottery is wrong and entirely inappropriate." But, forms of "egg sharing" and promotions to bring in fertile women to donate their eggs, called "egg sharing," already exist in the UK and the U.S. as Lisa Marsh, a life coach who lives in England, points out in her blog. She notes, for example, "the Fertility Treatment Center in Scottsdale, Arizona, is currently running a promotion on their website: "Enter to win a FREE IVF Cycle worth an estimated $15,000. Open to the first 100 guests ONLY...RSVP today!"
To Hatch Lottery
The To Hatch lottery will be held once a month. Twelve lucky people-single, lesbian, or couples-each year will have access to infertility experts and procedures provided by one of the top five clinics in London. Camille Strachan, the founder of To Hatch, told the Independent, "Time and time again I hear stories of people maxing out the credit cards and re-mortgaging their home because they can't get access to IVF through the NHS. This is not a wacky stunt; it is about helping people desperate people who cannot afford to go privately."
For details of the "To Hatch Lottery," click here.
If you were denied or unable to afford infertility treatment, would you buy a 20-pound ($32) IVF Lottery ticket?
Copyright 2011 by Susan Newman
