Celebrity parents Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt welcomed twins Knox Leon and Vivienne Marcheline on July 12. Now US Weekly magazine is reporting that the pregnancy was the result of in vitro fertilization in an attempt to grow their family more quickly. According to the magazine article, Angelina Jolie sought IVF so "she wouldn't have to deal with the stress of trying to get pregnant." Brad and Angelina are the parents of four other children, including a biological child born in May 2006. A reproductive specialist quoted in the article claims that Jolie's chances of conceiving fraternal twins naturally on her own is under 1%, but that in vitro raised the odds to 25%.

What is IVF?
In vitro (or IVF) is a form of assisted reproduction. First, a mother is given drugs to stimulate her ovaries. Then oocytes (eggs) are retrieved from her ovaries and combined in a laboratory with sperm obtained from the father. The resulting embryo -- or embryos -- are then transferred to the mother's uterus to implant and develop according to the normal process of pregnancy. For some couples, it may take several attempts over the course of many months to achieve a viable pregnancy.

IVF procedures have been a source of controversy, specifically because of the high rate of multiple pregnancies that result. Often, doctors would implant multiple embryos in an effort to improve the odds of a successful pregnancy. Professional guidelines (and, in some cases, legislation) as well as technological improvements have reduced the number of multiple birth outcomes. IVF is also very expensive, costing parents thousands of dollars a month. IVF is generally the treatment of choice for infertile couples who can not conceive because the mother has physical issues that prevent ovulation or the father has a low sperm count.

What do you think?
What do you think about this situation? Is it right to seek reproductive assistance simply because you're in a hurry to get pregnant, as the article implies? Is it ethical for doctors to offer the treatment to anyone who can pay for it, rather than reserving it for parents who have medical conditions that prevent unassisted conception? Does it change how you feel about the celebrity twins? Is it really anyone's business how the babies were conceived? Please click on comments to share your thoughts.

More Resources:

• Boy/Girl Twins for Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt
• What are the Odds of Twins?
• Celebrity Mothers of Twins
• Video: What is IVF?
• Are They Natural? Confronting Sensitive Questions About Twins and Multiples

Although I enjoy cooking, I simply dread the chore of fixing dinner for my family. It has always felt like a burden to make exciting, tasty meals that both of my twins will like, while still providing food that is nutritious and healthy without spending a fortune. Sometimes I feel like I just can't win.

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• Making Meals
• What you should know before you go.
• How do you handle the dinnertime dilemma? Share your comments.