Boy dragon and phoenix twins
Gender is 100% determined
Sperm donor egg donor surrogacy
There is an "all-inclusive" underground industry
Mobile phones are not allowed and no one is allowed to accompany you
Blindfolded to the "lab"
The egg retrieval process is very secretive
The way human sex determination is XX-XY type: males are heterotypic sex chromosomes, cells contain one X chromosome, the other is Y chromosome, and their sex chromosomes are composed of XY; Females are homotypic sex chromosomes, whose sex chromosome composition is XX, and the cells contain two X chromosomes.
At fertilization, type X sperm combines with the egg to form a fertilized egg with sex chromosomes composed of XX, which will develop into a female in the future; The combination of Y-type sperm and egg forms a zygonomal egg with XY and develops into a male.
Why is it illegal -
The state cracks down on illegal assisted reproductive technology
Surrogacy that is not approved by a formal fertility medical institution and illegal egg collection are illegal applications of human assisted reproductive technology
Why is it said that there is a lack of virtue -
Tempt with deceptive rhetoric such as "success rate"
"Kidnapping" transport to "underground laboratories"
High prices, but no security
Damage women's health rights and interests, resulting in the objectification of women
In recent years, driven by supply and demand and interests, many black agents have wandered in the legal gray area under the guise of "medical institutions" to help pregnancy, providing a series of suspected illegal and criminal services.
Recently, an investigation by a reporter from China Business Daily found that the illegal industrial chain derived from "IVF" assisted reproductive technology involves many places across the country, forming a business model of "embryo transfer laboratory-fertility intermediary-customer", and intermediaries often issue hundreds of thousands or even higher service fees according to customer needs. A doctor at a reproductive center in a regular hospital said that many of the deceived ended up empty.
>> know more
What is IVF?
IVF is a medical technique that helps people get pregnant and have children. Doctors scientifically remove sperm and eggs, form fertilized eggs in the laboratory, further culture embryos, and then "put" the embryos into the uterus.
When do I need IVF?
1. Tubal blockage, laparoscopic bilateral tubal ventilation after surgery or infertility after plastic surgery;
2. Endometriosis;
3. Polycystic ovary syndrome, ovulation disorders;
4. Advanced age, low ovarian reserve 5. Male few, weak, teratospermia or azoospermia.
>> relevant data
How many formal fertility agencies are there in mainland China?
According to data released by the National Health Commission, by the end of 2022, there were 559 medical institutions approved to carry out human assisted reproductive technology in mainland China.
According to the list released by the Shaanxi Provincial Health Commission on July 31, as of June 30 this year, there are 9 medical institutions approved to carry out human assisted reproductive technology in Shaanxi, namely Northwest Women and Children's Hospital (Shaanxi Provincial Maternal and Child Health Care Hospital), Tangdu Hospital of Air Force Military Medical University, Xi'an People's Hospital (Xi'an Fourth Hospital), The First Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University, Affiliated Hospital of Shaanxi University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Xi'an High-tech Hospital, Xi'an Angel Maternity Hospital, Baoji Maternal and Child Health Hospital and the Second Affiliated Hospital of Xi'an Jiaotong University.
According to regulations, before obtaining the license of human assisted reproductive technology from the health department, it is not allowed to engage in human assisted reproductive technology activities.
>> special operation
How to crack down on illegal pregnancy assistance?
Recently, the National Health Commission and other 14 departments jointly issued the "Work Plan for Carrying out Special Activities to Severely Crack Down on the Illegal Application of Human Assisted Reproductive Technology", and from June to December 2023, the special activities to crack down on the illegal application of human assisted reproductive technology nationwide, with the key spot check stage from August to October.
The activity plan states that according to the "Measures for the Administration of Human Assisted Reproductive Technology", it is forbidden to buy and sell gametes, zygotes and embryos in any form. The illegal application of human assisted reproductive technology such as surrogacy and illegal egg collection seriously damages women's health rights and interests, tramples on women's dignity, and causes negative effects of objectifying women.
The special activities require strengthening the full-chain management related to the application of human assisted reproductive technology from six aspects: First, strengthen the management of human assisted reproductive technology. Increase the severity of administrative penalties for violations; Second, strict patient identification management; The third is to strictly regulate the operation behavior of enterprises. Focus on investigating and registering companies and enterprises with medical services, health consultation, maternal and child health care, etc., and relevant administrative supervision departments to deal with illegal commercial marketing and publicity behaviors discovered in accordance with the law; Fourth, strengthen the management of drugs and medical devices; Fifth, establish and improve the complaint and reporting mechanism; Sixth, crack down on illegal acts. Strictly crack down on illegal use of human assisted reproductive technology in accordance with the law, including violations of laws and regulations by medical institutions and medical personnel, non-medical institutions, and non-medical personnel.
At present, many provinces and cities across the country have successively carried out special activities to crack down on the illegal application of human assisted reproductive technology and announced reporting telephone numbers.
There is nothing inherently wrong with assisted pregnancy
There are also many formal fertility agencies in the mainland
The security of illegal institutions is not guaranteed
Once flooded
It also has serious consequences for objectifying women
Families with immediate needs can go to formal institutions
Don't be fooled by some illegal fertility agencies!
one
Told by real people
A woman recounts her personal experience
People and money are empty, physically and mentally exhausted
"Our husband and wife have always wanted to have another child, especially a boy, because of age, physical and other reasons, so they decided to fulfill their wish through IVF technology. That company promised that IVF could be selected for men and women, saying that it would be carried out in a third-class hospital in Henan, but in fact it was taken to a black workshop..." Wang Le (pseudonym) told the China Business Daily reporter that from October last year to July this year, she paid more than 100,000 yuan for three generations of IVF through a pregnancy company in Xi'an, but after taking medicine, ovulation and multiple transplants, she still failed to conceive the baby as she wished, and the negotiated refund was rejected by the company.
Blindfolded and taken to a suburban house
Like being "kidnapped"!
In May 2021, Wang Le and Peng met through a WeChat group chat, and Peng is the legal representative of a pregnancy company in Xi'an. Wang Le often sees some IVF success cases posted in Peng's circle of friends, and feels that the other party is a professional and capable medical institution. "After understanding my appeal, Peng took the initiative to contact me, saying that he could go to the Second People's Hospital of Zhengzhou City for the third generation of IVF technology, which could choose the sex of the baby to ensure that the transferred embryo implanted and released the fetal heartbeat. Because it is a fellow countryman, the preferential price is 120,000 yuan, including the accommodation fee and bus fare when going to Zhengzhou, out of trust, we did not sign a contract after negotiation. Wang Le said.
On October 9, 2022, under the arrangement of the staff, Wang Le began to take medicine for stimulation. The staff informed Wang Le to go to the hospital for ultrasound after taking it for ten consecutive days to check whether the eggs were mature.
Wang Le said that according to the previous promise, after the eggs mature, egg retrieval and other processes will be arranged to be carried out in Zhengzhou's third-class hospital, but the other party gave a temporary notice that he needed to go to Wuhan, and did not clearly tell which hospital to operate. Wang Le said that in mid-October, she and her husband took a car to Wuhan, waiting for local personnel to pick them up, and his husband could not accompany him.
"On the day of egg retrieval, I was driven by the driver and a staff member, I couldn't carry my mobile phone, I had to wear a blindfold when I got in the car, I was panicked, I felt like I was kidnapped, and I couldn't talk in the car." Wang Le said it was about 50 minutes from the hotel to the egg retrieval lab.
Wang Le recalled that the laboratory was located in a small courtyard of a two-story private house, and the iron door would be closed after entering the courtyard, and all the windows of the two-story laboratory were covered by thick curtains, and his every move was monitored. I didn't see professional first-aid equipment in the operating room..."
"There was no anesthesia during the egg retrieval process, and I could barely bear the pain, and my heart was extremely nervous, and my palms were sweating cold." Wang Le said that under the operation of a doctor and nurse, more than ten mature eggs were removed from the body in about 10 minutes, and then she was sent back to the hotel with a blindfold, and then waited for the embryo transfer.
Four attempts to Wuhan for transplants failed
Physically and mentally collapsed!
From October last year to July this year, Wang Le traveled back and forth between Wuhan and Xi'an several times, but the transplant ended in failure.
"Although I went to the lab several times, I didn't know the exact location of the lab just because I wore an eye patch and couldn't bring my mobile phone the whole time." Wang Le said that July this year was her last trip to the laboratory for a transplant, and she changed a car halfway through the drive, "The escort explained that during this time, Wuhan was cracking down on such assisted reproduction institutions, so be cautious, and the laboratory also moved." ”
"In November last year, March and July this year, I rushed to Wuhan three times for embryo transfer, and various brands of fetal protection drugs were commonplace, but the embryos after the transfer were 'biochemical', and it was not as easy as the other party promised." Wang Le said that the constant trial and failure in a short period of time made her physically and mentally frustrated.
"Later I learned that IVF has extremely high medical standards and environmental requirements. The laboratory medical environment I go to every time is really limited, coupled with each 'kidnapping' transfer, the success rate is definitely high. Wang Le said that she found Peng to ask for a refund of part of the fee, but the other party refused, and then WeChat was also blocked by the other party.
Wang Le said that when she said her experience, she wanted to tell more families who were eager to have children that they must do so through regular hospitals and not be deceived by some so-called "fertility" agencies.
two
Unannounced visits by reporters
Four "fertility" agencies in Xi'an
One is located in the hospital
Recently, as a married man, the reporter went to the four fertility agencies in Xi'an as a married man, respectively, "Miao Pregnancy Reproduction", "Wide and Narrow Superior Pregnancy", "Qiyu Baby" and "Baby Pregnancy Reproduction" to investigate unannounced investigations, and found that these institutions all publicized and carried out three generations of IVF gender selection services, providing services including dragon and phoenix fetals, twins, IVF sperm donation, egg donation and surrogacy, and some company staff bluntly said that this was an "underground industry".
When the reporter asked whether the safety and health of the mother and baby could be guaranteed, the staff said that they should "trust" each other, saying that they could sign more expensive "all-inclusive" contracts. One of the most mysterious is the "laboratory", because of the lack of qualifications, high investment costs, these laboratories for ovulation, embryo raising, and transfer have been hidden "underground", distributed throughout the country, and even the staff of fertility agencies cannot determine the specific location...
Unannounced visit 1: Miao pregnancy reproduction
"Miaojiang Reproduction" is located in an office building of Taihua Jinmao International in the High-tech Zone. Tianyancha App query, Shaanxi Miaopregnant Health Management Co., Ltd. was established on July 26, 2022, and its business scope includes health consulting services, medical services, etc.
The services that Miaopregnant Fertility claims to provide include: 1. Three generations of test tube gender selection: boys, dragon and phoenix fetuses, twins, gender 100% certain; 2. Test tube sperm and egg donation; 3. Same-sex, elderly, single baby; 4. Surrogacy".
A director of the company told reporters that only three generations of test tubes can choose gender, and the cost is 160,000 yuan. "The cost of the dragon and phoenix fetus is also 160,000 yuan, because it makes no difference to the doctor whether to transfer one or two (embryos), it is a matter of pushing one tube and pushing two tubes." The director said, "The success rate is 90%, and the younger the customer, the higher the success rate. ”
When the reporter asked whether the agency could provide high-quality eggs, the other party said that this business is mainly aimed at patients who have been "sentenced" by hospitals, such as ovarian and uterine problems, unable to retrieve eggs or because of poor quality of older eggs. Some patients may have to wait three or five years for donations at the hospital. "What standard eggs you want to use, this price should be discussed with the volunteers, basically more than 40,000 yuan, there are high education, height, and appearance, you can interview if you are satisfied."
In addition, there are also surrogacy services that can be provided, and the price will be much higher.
Unannounced Visit 2: Pregnant International
The services provided by "Baoyang International" include: mainly do the second generation and third generation of test tubes, the third generation of test tubes can choose gender, boys and girls twins, dragon and phoenix fetuses can be, according to the needs of customers.
The merchant did not specify the exact name of the company's registration, and unlike other institutions, the reception and office of this institution is located in Xi'an Women's Hospital on Hanguang Road in Yanta District, and the sign "Baoyang International" is clearly marked outside the office.
"You can have twins or a boy." One staff member said that the chosen gender could be withheld from the spouse as long as the client had the need and consent. The price of the gender selection of the third generation of test tubes is 128,000 yuan, the whole package is 168,000 yuan, the whole package includes all the examinations, medicine and other processes, "egg retrieval, transplantation process can also be in Xi'an, we have our own laboratory, after signing the contract will arrange to do relevant examinations and conditioning plans." ”
The reporter asked whether there were safety risks in the laboratory to retrieve eggs and transfer embryos, and the other party said that the operators were invited experts, there was no risk, and local anesthesia would be performed during the operation, which was not so terrible. However, the specific doctor of which hospital and what the doctor's name is, the other party called the protection of the two sides cannot be disclosed.
Unannounced visit 3: wide and narrow pregnancy
The office location of "Kuanzhai Youge" is located in Qujiang Global Center, Yanta District, Tianyancha App query, Kuanzhai Youshe Health Management (Xi'an) Co., Ltd. was established on June 6, 2023, and the projects licensed by the business scope include medical services, maternal and child health care technical services, etc.
The services that Broad and Narrow Pregnancy claims to provide include successful sex selection, twins, dragon and phoenix fetus, donor egg sperm, etc.
The person in charge of the agency told reporters that the sex can be seen after the three-generation IVF embryo breeding is sent to the Shanghai testing agency for chromosome screening, and the customer's egg retrieval and transfer process is carried out in the company's laboratory in Chengdu, and the company also has egg donation services.
In response to the reporter's concerns about the qualifications of institutional doctors to practice medicine, the person in charge said that the two directors were invited from Beijing third-class hospitals and a hospital in Shanghai, so there was no need to worry about risks. Seeing that the reporter had many doubts, the person in charge said that if you choose to do test tubes, no matter which institution you are, you must have a basic trust, so that the two sides can reach cooperation.
Unannounced Interview 4: Pregnancy Baby
The office of "Qiqi Pregnant Baby" is located in an office building near Zhuhong Road, Weiyang District, and the promotional content: "Headquartered in Shanghai, it has been doing it for eight years, and there are branches in Qingdao, Wuhan, Changsha, Xiamen, Xi'an and other places. The company's name is Xi'an Tianyang Medical Technology Co., Ltd.
According to the person in charge of the company, the institution mainly provides three generations of test tube projects to Thailand, which can choose gender, the cost is 188,000 yuan, and the success rate is 80%-90%. There are also services such as egg donor and surrogacy. "If something can be operated domestically, it will be operated in China, and if it is not allowed in China, we will go abroad, and we must first ensure the safety of our customers." The person in charge revealed that the country has recently strictly investigated and strictly grasped test-tube surgery, "Last month Wuhan strictly investigated, all embryo breeding was suspended. ”
three
Journalist investigation
After the reporter left a message on the Internet, "Tor" took the initiative to contact
At present, are there any business activities on the market that have not obtained relevant qualifications but still carry out assisted reproductive activities in private under the banner of "fertility assistance"? A reporter from China Business Daily found in the early investigation on the Internet that these illegal "fertility" agencies are quite cautious in their daily operations, and there is almost no advertising information on the Internet. The reporter searched for "IVF" in the Xiaohongshu App and found that many "soft advertisements" promoting IVF institutions were pushed, and there were enthusiastic "netizens" private messages after the message and post below, these users are similar to "medical trust", and the chat will soon push the contact information of the fertility agency.
Subsequently, the reporter received calls from Chengdu, Beijing, Wuhan, Shenzhen and other places, all of which were fertility agencies that could provide "IVF" services. After the reporter added WeChat, he saw that these people engaged in IVF technical services usually posted a large number of successful customer cases in their circle of friends, and even advertised "imported babies", "egg donor volunteers" and "surrogate mothers".
The "laboratory" belongs to the secret base
Men and family members cannot accompany them
When the reporter visited a number of fertility agencies, the merchants mentioned "laboratories", but when it came to the specific information and location of the laboratory, these agencies said that in order to protect the safety of all parties, the laboratory can usually only be led by female customers alone, and men and family members cannot accompany them, which is the rule in the industry.
Among the four institutions visited by the reporter, "Baopregnant International" introduced that in the egg retrieval stage, it is necessary to go to the out-of-hospital laboratory to do it, most of the laboratories are located in Wuhan or Chengdu, and there are also "laboratories" in Xi'an, but the success rate is not high. Surgical egg retrieval in the laboratory takes about 10~20 minutes, and the process will be done with local anesthesia. The doctor used in the Wuhan laboratory is the director of a fertility hospital in the top five in the country. "The doctors who perform the operation are all public top three doctors, and you can rest assured that the out-of-hospital laboratory has invited the doctors of the hospital out at a high price to take on some private work." An institution said that the laboratory is placed outside the hospital, one is to avoid risks, and the other is that the laboratory not only has customers who take eggs on the same day, but also embryos waiting for transfer and some frozen tires.
A person in charge of the institution introduced that many laboratories and institutions in the market are cooperative relations, and a laboratory may store embryos from many institutions across the country, because it is not qualified and belongs to a confidential base. "The network is so developed, if you bring your mobile phone in to take pictures and record records, if you have a positioning again and again, won't the laboratory be over?" So, before going to the lab, you will be asked to put your phone in one place and not let you know where it is. "An agency head said that in China, these companies cannot be handled, first, they do not touch medical treatment, do not operate in any hospital; Second, there is no doctor to sit, the company only provides services to customers, and the risk of the laboratory is much greater than that of the company.
Insiders revealed: Some laboratories will change places from time to time
A person familiar with the matter revealed that the state for the development of human assisted reproductive technology medical institutions management is quite strict, these IVF underground industry is very hidden, in order to avoid being investigated, there are people specifically responsible for the construction and operation of laboratories, there are special "fertility" institutions responsible for external business solicitation, fertility agencies usually seek to cooperate with a laboratory after carrying out such services, most of the fees charged to customers are paid to the laboratory, fertility agencies are equivalent to the "intermediary" between the laboratory and the customer.
"The laboratory is the core, but also the most difficult link, even these intermediaries do not know where the location is, and some laboratories will change places from time to time." This person said that the fertility agency can re-register a company to continue to do it after being checked, but the laboratory investment cost is high, in addition to equipment, etc. also store embryos, but also consider the safety of operators and donor egg surrogacy and other third parties, so the customer egg retrieval ovulation process is not specially "escorted" by laboratory personnel.
shop
Expert analysis
IVF technology has helped many families realize their dreams
Illegal black institutions charge expensive fees and do not have health protection
Recently, the reporter talked to a number of clinical experts from a medical institution approved to carry out human assisted reproductive technology in our province, and experts said that IVF technology has helped many families realize their dreams. Some fake reproductive centers and black institutions without medical insurance carry out assisted reproductive technology in violation of the law, affecting the health of women and even the next generation.
An expert told reporters: "At present, the egg source in the mainland is relatively tight, there is a problem of unequal supply and demand, many women have ovarian failure for various reasons, there is a rigid demand for eggs, and many black institutions are to seize the patient's appeal." ”
"Patient" is likely to be "medical trust"
There are many patients who have been scammed
Test tube technology is divided into one generation, two generations, three generations, simply put, the first generation mainly solves the problems of female fallopian tube blockage, the second generation is for men's sperm problems, and the third generation is mainly to block the transmission of genetic diseases to the next generation. IVF is a strict indication, especially for the third generation of IVF. The mainland prohibits non-medically indicated sex determination, so it is illegal to choose a gender without strict medical indications, and according to the law, both parties to IVF must be a legal couple.
According to the "Measures for the Administration of Human Assisted Reproductive Technology" issued by the former Ministry of Health, "it is forbidden to buy and sell gametes, zygotes and embryos in any form" and "medical institutions and medical personnel shall not implement any form of surrogacy technology". Therefore, the relevant institutions that carry out this kind of surgery are in a state of illegality, the qualifications of relevant medical staff cannot be discussed, the medical technology and equipment used can not be guaranteed, if the operation is not careful, it is likely to have complications such as reproductive system infection, bleeding, pelvic adhesions, tubal blockage, etc., and may be life-threatening.
"These illegal fertility agencies usually hire 'medical trusts' stationed in regular reproductive centers, talk as 'patients', introduce their fertility experience, boast of a certain institution's good technology and high success rate, and enthusiastically introduce patients to the past, but when patients wake up, they have ended up with 'no money and no money'." A professional revealed that many of his patients have done test tubes in the "black center", and they have spent hundreds of thousands of yuan to come back and say that they were fooled, because their own "appeals" are not normal, so many dare not sue, and can only suffer dumb losses.
"Success rate" is a stealth concept
Giving birth to a healthy baby is a real success
The reporter learned that compared with the cost of hundreds of thousands of yuan in black institutions, regular hospitals have clear and open charging standards, the cost of first-generation test tube technology is about 30,000 yuan, and the most expensive third generation test tube technology cost is about 50,000 yuan. In addition, the regular hospital strictly abides by relevant national laws and regulations and industry requirements, and has a group of senior professionals in the industry, who have a good grasp of professional and latest knowledge and technology, and can also be quickly used in the clinic to escort patients.
Experts say formal institutions and doctors don't use phrases like "success rates." For example, when both patients are young and in good condition, the highest live birth rate of IVF is about 55%, and the clinical pregnancy rate can reach 65% or more.
The success rate commonly referred to as "black agency" refers to the biochemical pregnancy rate that is positive for blood hCG. But for doctors, patients end up delivering a healthy baby to be truly successful. According to statistics, at least 12%-15% of women will have miscarriage in this process, so the "success rate" and "package success" are stealing concepts, which is to deceive patients into trust, which is extremely irresponsible for health and life.
Some experts said that in order to cater to customers, illegal institutions even promised twins, dragon and phoenix fetuses, etc., but they did not know that twin pregnancies put the mother and fetus in extreme danger. In twin pregnancies, mothers endure more stress throughout pregnancy than singleton mothers, and complications increase during pregnancy. For children, the rate of twin malformations is relatively high, the incidence of premature birth is as high as 40%, and premature babies are often accompanied by developmental delays, infections, cerebral palsy, etc. "Assisted reproductive technology is a rigorous and realistic medical science, and regular reproductive centers will provide efficient and safe medical services to the greatest extent, aiming at singletons, full-term, and live births, so that mothers are safe and children are healthy." Huashang Daily reporter She Hui
Source: Huashang Net-Huashang Daily