Daily Mail - Hospital denies claims that British couple dumped newborn twins 'because they were girls'

A hospital today denied claims that a couple who had received IVF in India had then dumped their twin babies after finding out they were both girls.
It had been claimed that the mother aged 59 and the father 72, had abandoned the babies after telling medics they were the 'wrong sex' because they wanted boys.
However Wolverhampton hospital today said that the parents were being 'attentive' to the babies' needs .
A spokesman said: "The parents are visiting their daughters whilst they are being cared for in hospital and are attentive to their needs."

Abandoned: The babies were delivered by Caesarean at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton, West Midlands
It had been claimed that the babies, who are now less than two weeks old, were abandoned soon after birth and have not been visited once by their parents.
The couple travelled to India for fertility treatment but returned to Britain for the birth. The twins were born by Caesarean Section at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.
Their mother - one of Britain's oldest - reportedly discharged herself against the advice of doctors who told her she should stay in hospital for a week after her operation.
She and her husband are thought to be of Indian descent but British residents living in the West Midlands.
Aftter the birth in Wolverhampton, the children were transferred to another hospital in Birmingham.
A spokeswoman for New Cross Hospital said today: 'We can confirm a pair of twins were born at New Cross Hospital. They were healthy and well.
'They were born here because the maternity (facility) where the parents were living was busy, so a few days later they were transferred to a Birmingham hospital, where the parents were living.'
In certain Asian cultures, sons are more highly prized than daughters because it is believed they will work from a younger age and carry on the family name.
In India, girls are considered an economic burden as their parents traditionally need to provide a dowry payment for them when they get married - often resulting in financial ruin or extreme hardship for many families when the women marry.
Last year, research revealed that between 1990 and 2005, about 1,500 fewer girls were born to Indian mothers living in England and Wales than would have been statistically probable for this group.
In the Nineties, 112 boys were born for every 100 girls. Between 2000 and 2005 this rose to 114 boys for every 100 girls.
A report last year revealed Indian women in Britain are travelling to the subcontinent to use the services of IVF doctors who for 4,000 rupees (about £49), will reveal the sex of an unborn child and recommend someone who can terminate the pregnancy.
It is thought that the couple may have travelled to India for IVF due to their late ages. In Britain, women are given IVF on the NHS between the ages of 23 and 39.
There is no absolute age limit for IVF in Britain, but the NHS will not fund it for women aged over 40. Most private clinics have an upper age limit of 55. Many other older women have gone abroad for IVF.
Britain's oldest mother, Patricia Rashbrook, paid £10,000 for IVF treatment in Russia using a donor egg.
Child psychologist Dr Rashbrook became pregnant under the supervision of Italian fertility expert Professor Severino Antinori, and her son JJ was born by elective caesarean.
IVF treatment has sparked an emotive debate over the rights and wrongs of giving women who are many years past their natural childbearing age the ability to reproduce.
The controversy was again in the spotlight last year after Carmela Bousada, an unmarried Spaniard then aged 67, became the world's oldest mother.
She gave birth to twins after lying about her age to doctors at a private clinic in Los Angeles which refuses to treat women over 55. Miss Bousada, who came close to death during a difficult pregnancy, went through the menopause 19 years ago.
Last night, a spokesman for New Cross Hospital said: 'We have no comment to make due to data protection reasons.'
In 2006, it was revealed a businesswoman dumped her new-born twins in a cardboard box in a hospital car park because they were the product of an affair.
The married 44 year old, who has three grown-up sons, said she could never reveal the truth of the twins' birth to her family because of the devastation it would cause.
The babies, born a month premature had to be put in incubators because they were so cold and were named Holly and Joseph by nurses.

The New Baby Jogger City Mini Twins

We it's been a long drawn out launch, but as they say all the good things are worth waiting for..and the new Baby Jogger City Mini is, will be a great buggy for our members.
We were first made aware of them at a trade show way back in September 07 and was told they would be with us in Jan of 08 - sadly they were delayed and put back to April....which was delayed again, but we are now exspecting them (fingers crossed) late June.
Lots of info on them on www.twins-store.co.uk and we are taking pre-orders, just email us and we will add to our growing list and contact you near the dispatch date.

BBC News - Hospital's new breast milk bank

A hospital is accepting donations of breast milk to help premature babies.
The new scheme, launched at the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital (RD&E), accepts milk donated by new mothers who are back home in the community.
Donated milk will be tested for bacteria, pasteurised, then screened again before being stored in a freezer.
It will then be available for mothers who are unable to breastfeed, providing vital nutrition for sick or premature babies.
Mothers must be non-smoking and drug free and will be given blood tests before being accepted for donation.
It's like gold dust and you don't want to waste it
Jo Simpson, donor mother
Sister Karen Read said the hospital's guidelines were strict and any milk failing the screening process would be discarded.
"Breast milk can be stored in the freezer for up to three months, so we are encouraging women who produce more milk than their own baby needs to donate it because it is a valuable source of nutrients and protection against infection for babies."
Jo Simpson agreed to sign up to the scheme after breastfeeding her daughter, who was born three months prematurely.
"You spend so much time and energy producing the milk - it's like gold dust and you don't want to waste it," she told BBC News.
"Previously you would have had to throw it away, whereas now you can take it to the hospital and donate it to a good cause."
New mother of triplets Kay Dennis said the RD&E scheme was "fantastic".

Kay Dennis is using donated milk to top up feeds for her triplets
During pregnancy she had planned to breastfeed, but discovered she did not have enough milk to satisfy three hungry mouths.
She has been using the hospital's breast bank to top up the triplets' feeds.
"I consented to it from the day they were born," Ms Dennis said.
"To me it's better than formula milk because there's more in it for the babies."
Nursing mothers who are HIV positive, undergoing chemotherapy or on certain medication are not able to donate milk.
Classed as a satellite milk bank, the unit can also donate milk to the Princess Anne maternity hospital in Southampton.

Daily Mail - Fertility doctor makes staggering £8million in ONE YEAR off couples desperate for a baby

A fertility doctor made £8million in one year, it has emerged.
Mohammed Taranissi's private London-based IVF practice has quadrupled its profits in six years, according to its accounts.
His company made a pre-tax profit of almost £8million - based on charging £2,500 for a basic IVF treatment - and had £ 20million in the bank.
Other clinics making millions include that of Harley Street fertility pioneer Professor Ian Craft, with £5million a year and almost £850,000 in the bank.
The profits, revealed in an investigation by the London Evening Standard, highlight the growth in demand from childless couples.
An estimated one in six couples experiences problems conceiving.
On average, an IVF cycle from a private clinic costs £3,500 with hormone drugs costing an extra £2,000.
But patients typically need two or three attempts to fall pregnant.
Mr Taranissi's profits are based on his work at the Assisted Reproduction and Gynaecology Centre.
According to accounts for the year to August 2006, he has paid himself £2million in a year as director of the practice.
Treatments on offer include egg freezing for £2,000, donor sperm at £110 a sample and surgical sperm retrieval for £1,250. The initial IVF consultation alone costs £150.
This year the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority warned clinics to outline their rates from the start amid fears patients are unaware of the potential bill.
A spokesman said: "It is like a taxi fare meter. It is rising but you do not know what it will cost at the end of the journey."

BBC News - Midwives fear service 'collapse'

Midwives claim services provided in the south east Wales area are under-staffed and they are calling for more positions to be filled.
The Royal College of Midwives (RCM) said: "It's only a matter of time before the quality of care plummets and the service collapses".
The Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust said more midwives would be employed.
But said it agreed not enough funds were available to solve some staffing issues.
Midwives are exhausted attempting to care for women and their families...
Helen Rogers, RCM
The calls for more staff came in the wake of changes in services in the area.
Helen Rogers, RCM's board secretary for Wales, said: "Whilst we welcome and acknowledge the trust's commitment to employing more midwives, it still falls short of the numbers needed, and this cannot continue.
"Midwives are exhausted attempting to care for women and their families when they know they need many more midwives to run an acceptable standard of service.
"It is only a matter of time before the service collapses and the quality of care plummets."

The Royal Gwent closed its special care baby unit temporarily recently
The community midwives say they originally asked for 31 extra staff and will continue to fight for the posts to be filled.
According to the RCM, a reconfiguration of services has relieved some of the pressure with more midwives working in clinical roles - but they say this has not resulted in more midwives being employed.
Breastfeeding
We are aware of the shortage of midwives in Gwent and are currently looking to find a solution to this problem
Welsh Assembly Government
The RCM say it will raise the issue with assembly members and health minister Edwina Hart.
Health Inspectorate Wales has been contacted and are currently interviewing midwives, managers and medics who work in the maternity services in Gwent.
A spokesman for Gwent Healthcare NHS Trust said: "We have had some success in securing funding for the required additional midwives and share the RCM's view that even more are required.
"We are continuing to negotiate with our Local Health Board partners and are hopeful that some additional midwives can be funded.
"In the meantime our midwifery teams across the trust are totally committed to providing a high quality service."
An assembly government statement said: "We are aware of the shortage of midwives in Gwent and are currently looking to find a solution to this problem."
Last Friday, the Royal Gwent Hospital's special care baby unit closed temporarily because a run of multiple births had taken all the cot spaces.
The situation had not affected women with low-risk pregnancies, who were able to have their babies at the Royal Gwent over the weekend.

The New EasyWalker Double Buggy

The new EasyWalker DuoWalker Sky due in mid May

The impressive new double buggy will be back in stock within the next few days and we can’t wait, the interest from members has been better than we thought possible.

We have been importing the much loved EasyWalkers direct from the makers in Holland for just over 8 months, and just couldn’t get them quick enough, that will soon change with the new distribution setup. We will be selling them exclusively and from time of order to delivery will be 2-3 days.

Why is the EasyWalker causing so much fuss, well with a similar style to the Mountain Buggy – safe and easy to push, the EasyWalker is just 13 kg and the same width. A classic in the making, having already won major awards.

Take a look inside www.twins-store.co.uk or click the title above to be zinged across to the page.