A female guest on today’s Lorraine Kelly show has caused outrage among many viewers for her belief that IVF treatment should not be available for free on the NHS.
During the heated debate about IVF, journalist and self-proclaimed feminist Sirena Bergman argued that the NHS’s resources should be focused elsewhere.
She told stand-in presenter Christine Lampard: “I don’t believe it should be funded by the NHS and I definitely don’t think it should be banned. I don’t think it’s a luxury and it is difficult for a lot of women.
“But with the NHS being as underfunded as it is, a lot of resources should be put into areas that genuinely have an affect on people’s health, and IVF should not be the priority.”
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One of Sirena’s arguments was that there is still too much pressure on women to have children and that they are judged if they don’t.
She went on to say: “I think what we need to remember is the broader social perception of women and the idea for a woman to live a fulfilled life she must give birth to a child.
“We really need to challenge these preconceptions and I think the idea that the government would fund IVF reinstates that idea.”
At the moment IVF is only available on the NHS in certain circumstances, and if the particular criteria are not met then the individual has to pay for IVF treatment, which costs thousands of pounds.
When asked if she had any children Sirena replied: “I don’t think that’s relevant to the argument.”
Many viewers took to Twitter to express their disgust at Sirena’a views on the subject, with one viewer commenting: “Stupid woman on #Lorraine. Surely feminism is about women’s freedom to make choices. IVF helps women it doesn’t hinder them.”
Others expressed their views that Sirena had a lack of empathy, as one person tweeted: “If only she knew the pain of infertility, the heartbreak, anxiety, depression and inferiority it brings #lorraine,” while another said: “Who is this stupid woman? She is clueless and has obviously never been in the position of wanting a baby #fuming.”
Fellow guest on the show Dr Virginia Bolton didn’t agree with the journalist’s views, as she said: “Three cycles of IVF gives people the best chance of IVF has the best chance of success. It is the recommendation made by a body of experts, who know field. It is a cost effective form of therapy.
“We’re talking about opinions here, but we are talking about the real world and the emotions you’re talking about are very real and I am exposed to them every day.
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“If it’s a medical intervention that’s the only thing that can help them and only thing that will help them achieve what they yearn so much for, this should be given to them.”
But Sirena argued: “Women have lots of other options and if a woman wants to become a mother there are other options available to them and that, as a society, we should support.
“So long as the government is funding IVF and presenting it as the best option, then we’re never going to get over this ingrained idea in our society that a woman’s role in life is to give birth and if she doesn’t then there’s a problem.”
And she wasn’t letting the negative comments from viewers on social media bring her down either, posting one message mocking their bad grammar – not understanding the difference between ‘your’ and ‘you’re’.
Hmmm, that’ll really get people to be more inclined to listen to your point of view…