In January 2022, Moeders voor Moeders came under scrutiny following an article in the Saturday & Opinion supplement of **de Volkskrant**, which led to another publication by **Linda.nl**. Both articles expressed strong criticism of Moeders voor Moeders. These articles caused a lot of confusion, doubt, and anger among our (former) participants. That’s why we want to clarify the situation and explain why the criticism directed at Moeders voor Moeders is unfounded.
All the urine collected from participants is taken to the Aspen factory in Boxtel. Absolutely no urine is sold to other companies. At our factory, through a process that takes 6 to 9 months, the hCG hormone is extracted from the urine. Once the hormone has been fully purified and analyzed, it can be used to create fertility medications.
We do not manufacture these medications ourselves, but we supply the purified hCG hormone to various pharmaceutical companies worldwide. The supply agreements with these companies stipulate that Aspen’s hCG may only be used for the production of human fertility medications. The companies we supply to also only produce medications for human use. For this reason, we are confident that our hCG is not used in the livestock industry.
Due to contracts with our customers, we cannot disclose the names of the companies to which we supply hCG. Additionally, according to the Medicines Act, we are not allowed to advertise medications. This is why we also cannot name the fertility medications that contain our hCG. For any questions regarding these medications, we kindly refer you to a doctor or pharmacy.
Unfortunately, it is impossible to completely prevent the improper use of hCG medications, such as for weight loss or in gyms. This is a cause of concern for us, as weight loss is not a valid indication for the use of the hCG hormone. There is no scientific evidence that hCG is effective as a weight loss aid. Therefore, the use of hCG outside its official indications is strongly discouraged. It is disappointing to see claims in various articles and on internet forums suggesting that we turn a blind eye to the improper use of our hCG hormone or misinform our participants. This is absolutely not the case, and we emphasize that we are fully committed to ensuring proper use and providing accurate information.
There is also media criticism regarding the fact that Moeders voor Moeders is part of a commercial company that profits from urine donation, while we present ourselves publicly as if we are a charitable organization. How does this work exactly?
It is true that Moeders voor Moeders is part of a commercial company, Aspen API, and we do not hide this. We mention it in all our promotional materials, such as brochures and advertisements, and it is also clearly stated in several places on our website. For example, in the FAQ section, we explain that Moeders voor Moeders is not a charity but part of a commercial company that needs to generate profits to continue producing hCG. Collecting urine involves significant costs, such as collection and the individual screening of participants. There are also substantial costs associated with the 6 to 9-month production process. Our factory adheres to the highest standards required of a producer of medicines or medicinal ingredients like hCG. To continue doing this in the future, we need to innovate and invest continuously. Additionally, as a producer, we are dependent on the demand from pharmaceutical companies for our hCG hormone, which also poses certain risks. For these reasons, a profit model is necessary to cover risks and keep our factory up-to-date, ensuring the continuity and quality of our products. This is the only way we can continue helping couples with fertility issues achieve their dream of becoming parents.
In addition to fertility medications made from natural hCG (extracted from the urine of pregnant women), there are also medications based on synthetic hCG. Some media outlets claim that hospitals now only use the synthetic variant, rendering natural hCG-based medications unnecessary. This is absolutely not the case. While both variants have the same effect, it is crucial to have both options available because women may react differently to various medications. Maintaining both options ensures that doctors and patients have the freedom to choose the best treatment.
In the article on Linda.nl, it was suggested that the hCG extracted from the urine collected by Moeders voor Moeders might end up in products used in the livestock industry, such as to help pigs become pregnant faster. This is not true. There are products used in the veterinary industry that contain hCG, but the hCG used for these products does not come from the urine collected by Moeders voor Moeders. Our urine is collected and used exclusively for one purpose: to produce fertility medications for human use. The hCG used in the livestock industry is sourced from other collection programs worldwide (often in Asia) and has no connection to Moeders voor Moeders.
A long time ago, some of the hCG extracted from Moeders voor Moeders’ urine was used in products for the livestock industry, such as to help pigs become pregnant faster. This practice ended in 1985. The hCG used in these products now comes from other countries, mainly in Asia. Since 1985, the urine we collect has never been used in products aimed at stimulating the fertility of animals like pigs. Any reports suggesting otherwise are untrue and based on incorrect information.
We can be brief about this: there has never been a Moeders voor Moeders Brazil. The company that owned Moeders voor Moeders until 2013 also had a urine collection program in Brazil, but these two programs operated independently of each other. The Brazil program has not existed for many years, as it was discontinued in 2010. Despite this, some media outlets continue to refer to ‘Moeders voor Moeders Brazil,’ which is incorrect.
On Tuesday, October 3, 2023, the TV program Keuringsdienst van Waarde featured products used in the livestock industry to help pigs become pregnant faster. These products were said to contain hCG derived from the urine of pregnant women.
We have also watched this episode and were deeply concerned that it was only mentioned that the hCG came from the urine of pregnant women, which is true. However, the program did not specify where these collection programs take place. We want to emphasize that Moeders voor Moeders does not collect urine for this purpose. Women participating in our program are not donating urine for products used in the livestock industry.
We hope this article has helped clarify our history, methods, and the urine processing procedure for newly pregnant women. If you still have any questions, please don’t hesitate to contact us via info@moedersvoormoeders.nl or call 088 – 278 00 00. We are happy to answer any questions so that everyone knows exactly where the urine we collect really goes—to make medications for prospective parents!
Curious about how the urine is processed into usable hCG? Watch the video below.