Francis Chartrand for Rivière-des-Mille-Îles

Eric Yvan Lemay
Le Journal de Montréal
12/06/2009 05h35

Najah El Chami uses this equipment to insert sperm into the egg. New procedures were put in place to meet Jewish and Muslim traditions. © Éric Yvan Lemay

Reasonable accommodations begin even before conception to the McGill University Health Center. To accommodate Muslims, Jews and even Catholics recite prayers, and we allow the presence of an observer during the Jewish fertility treatments.

"These treatments should be accessible to all religions and all communities," said Dr. Hananel Holzer, fertility specialist at the Royal Victoria Hospital.

To ensure the support of Orthodox Jewish communities, it tolerates the presence of an observer trained to meet the precepts associated with that religion. In all, they are eight to have completed the training given by Rabbi Weiss, head of the Council of the Jewish community in Montreal.

Approximately one to two requests for accommodation were made each week.

Incubators reserved for Jews

"In Judaism, Halachah requires that certain conditions are met, on many aspects of life. If more than familiar with the concept of kosher foods, not all are aware that the Jewish laws also outline clear guidelines in terms of reproduction, "says Dr. Hozler.

Two incubators for the conservation of embryos are also kept under lock and key and a PIN is required to open them. They may not be in the presence of the representative Jew.

Dr. Hozler, who has practiced in Israel, imported by that way. The accommodations, however, apply to all communities.

Prayer for Muslims

Thus, for Muslims, recite a prayer at the time of insemination in the woman's uterus. It also tries to ensure that this is a woman who makes the treatment of in vitro fertilization, except if no specialist is present.

Although the majority of patients who require accommodations are Jews and Muslims, Dr Hozler had requests for a Catholic woman. The latter was reluctant, since the practice of freezing eggs is not permitted in Italy, his country of origin. It was therefore a different process for her.

Only restriction for Dr. Hozler: "The application should not impede medical treatment in any way," he says. Have we seen a difference in the success of treatment? "Good question, we should study it, but people feel more confident."

Through this initiative, we want to increase the number of patients who have access to fertility treatments, which will be reimbursed by the government.

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Labels: Human mistake, Montréal, Québec, Religion and fanaticism

# posted by Francis Chartrand @ 9:24 PM