In vitro is Latin for “in glass”. Actually the in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) of an egg removed from a woman’s ovary and several thousand specially prepared sperm from a man takes place in special fluid in a petrie dish. The egg and sperm are incubated for two or three days, and when embryos of 4-8 cells develop, up to three, but more usually one or two are transferred via a very fine tube to the woman’s uterus.
You can find out more details of the procedure at the websites given on the right.
Here are some facts about IVF:
- Up to one in six people are unable to conceive when they want to.
- Involuntary childlessness causes real distress to those affected.
- The first baby successfully born as a result of this procedure was Louise Brown in 1978.
- Since then about 68,000 babies have been born as a result of IVF.
- In the UK the NHS provides about 25% of IVF treatments.
- A single cycle of IVF can cost £2000-4000, with an addition £1000 for drugs.
- The success rate per treatment cycle averages about 22%.
- Single babies born after IVF are more likely to be premature or of low birth weight but twins born after IVF are at no greater risk than twins born conventionally.
Task: discuss the following ethical dilemmas:
Two couples are having IVF treatment at a clinic. Mrs A does not become pregnant, but Couple B are successful and go on to have healthy twins. Then it is realised that there was a mix-up in the embryology lab and the twins are genetically those of Mr and Mrs A.
Mrs D is a divorcee in her late 50s and wants to have hormone treatment to enable her to become pregnant. She will need both an egg and a sperm donor.
Print Friendly Page
Contraception
No comments yet. Why not be the first person to add one?
The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority
What's your opinion?
Average rating
Not yet rated