The Science Behind In Vitro Fertilization - Research Paper Example

?The Science Behind In Vitro Fertilization Introduction Individuals who had and have been suffering from infertility have sought help from various experts. One of the most influential and promising aids is in vitro fertilization or IVF. It is a process entailing the woman’s egg cell’s fertilization “in glass” (in vitro). The zygote (fertilized egg) is then implanted to the woman’s uterus. Specifically, this paper focuses on the knowledge and cutting edge techniques involving IVF. Discussion Brief History The recorded first successful babies to be born through IVF were Louise Brown (Jeffries, 2013). This happened in England in 1978. This was followed by another baby in India in the same year. The term “test tube babies” became popular in 1981. According to the Centers for Disease Control, around 48,000 babies were born through IVF (2005). This implies that worldwide, a number of parents have been suffering from infertility and have been yearning for effective ways on how to have biological children. The Process The process of IVF has 7 major phases. According to Fertility Associates, the first is ovulation induction and monitoring which is followed by sperm collection. The next step is egg collection, then fertilization, followed by embryo development. The last two phases are embryo replacement and pregnancy (2013). In the first phase, hormone drugs are induced to the woman. This will increase her chances of developing very healthy eggs. Lifestyle changes are also encouraged to promote quality egg cells. Similarly, it will benefit the father’s sperm cells if he would observe recommended habits like refraining from saunas or hot tubs and wearing loose underwear. Close monitoring is done through ultrasound and blood tests. At a certain stage, another kind of drug is administered to induce egg maturation. The next stage involves the retrieval of the man’s sperm cells. The third step entails the doctor to collect the eggs from the woman’s ovaries using a long needle guided by an ultrasound scan. Anesthesia is used in the 15-minute-process. During this stage, timing is very significant. The eggs must be taken just before they come out from the ovaries’ follicles. If they would not be retrieved at the right time, the development quality is critically affected. One of the most crucial is phase 4. It is when the sperm cell and egg cells are combined in a nutrient-solution-filled petri dish. This process is also termed as insemination (Hagan, 2012). Furthermore, when intracytoplasmic sperm injection is employed, there is a low likelihood of the sperm joining the egg cell. This is done by injecting a sperm into the cell to induce fertilization. During stage 5, the zygote has already developed into an embryo. The pronuclear embryo at 24 hours are further cultured for 1-5 days. Successions of evaluations and observations are done to specify well developing embryos. For the period of step 6, the embryo has grown into an eight-cell-embryo. This occurs at 3 days old. It is now possible for the embryo to be returned to the uterus. At 4 days, a berry-like-embryo called a morula is formed. On the 5th day, the “morula” has become a blastocyst. Most experts wait for this development to happen before replacing the embryo into the uterus. This apparently increases the chances of survival. The embryo is then transferred with the use of a speculum. The device is inserted into the vagina to expose the cervix. After which, the embryos are carefully placed into a catheter going to the uterus. Finally, at stage 7, the 6-day-old embryo is safe in the womb. It will then hatch or pop out of its shell to pave way for uterus implantation. A pregnancy blood test is then done 14 days after the initial egg collection. Limitations Though IVF has been successful in a number of infertile couples, the success rate greatly depends on the quality of the cells. Thus, if the cells are defective, the use of donor eggs or donor sperms are facilitated. This will somehow make the parents think about the biological and inherited aspect of their child. Moreover, the technique’s effect depends on the woman’s body’s responsiveness to the drugs. If only one egg cell will be produced, the likelihood of fertilization will be lessened. Another limitation is the health risk involved. In vitro pregnancies have been found out to be related to higher risks of obstetric and perinatal complications (Pandey, Shetty, Hamilton, Bhattacharya, & Maheshwari, 2012). Though it was not clear what exactly caused the complications, the research suggested further studies and monitoring as to what specifically leads to the said health problems. Success Rates The latest statistics available regarding IVF’s success rate is from the year 2009. According to the Society for Reproductive Medicine, 35 year old patients had 41.4 % birth rate. For those aged 35-37, their success rate of giving birth through IVF is 31.7%. The percentage decrease at 22.3 at age 38-40. Older patients (41-42) only have 12.6% live birth rate. It must be understood that live birth rates are different from success pregnancy rates. The embryo may be successfully implanted but there may be possibilities of miscarriages along the way. The success rates are also affected by the patient’s qualities and procedure characteristics. Breakthroughs According to the Wall Street Journal, “There is growing evidence suggesting that freezing an embryo after fertilization and thawing it for use in the woman's next monthly cycle leads to higher pregnancy rates, compared with using the embryo immediately” (Wang, 2012, p.1). The article featured that the Journal of the American Society for Reproductive Medicine further specified that women who received fresh embryos had 38% of pregnancy rate. This is significantly different from the 50% pregnancy rate of the women who received frozen embryos. Another update is featured by CNN Health. In a study published in The Lancet, women who opt for IVF are advised to have only a maximum of two embryos (Hagan, 2012). Particularly, those who had implantation of 3 or more embryos resulted to higher health risks. This was true for both the mother and her baby. One reason is the increased possibility of multiple births which is normally related to health problems. Conclusion With the attractiveness and increasing marketability of IVF, more and more individuals have sought its advantages. Its intricate process reveals the ingenuity of man and his quest for reproduction. Science behind it shows how medicine and technological advancements have ominously altered the definition of conception and fertility. This development has also affected culture especially on womanhood and even gender since many gay couples have used this process to have biological children. Vis-a-vis IVF’s success rates and limitations, studies have suggested that one way of lessening complications is by implanting only one or two embryos. It is very likely that success rates will increase overtime due to the rapid progress in laboratories. Moreover, the public will see IVF as one of the usual interventions concerning infertility. Thus, IVF will surely be one of the norms in the next few years. References Centers for Disease Control. (2005). In vitro fertilization. Retrieved from http://www.cdc.gov/ART/ART2005/508PDF/2005ART508.pdf Fertility Associates. (2013). IVF explained. IVF-lings. Retrieved from http://www.ivf-lings.co.nz/Where-Did-I-Come-From-.aspx Hagan, C. (2012). Study urges just 1 or 2 embryos during in vitro transfers. CNN Health. Retrieved from http://www.cnn.com/2012/01/11/health/study-ivf/index.html Jeffries, M. (2013). In vitro fertilization overview. Discovery Fit and Health. Retrieved from http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/pregnancy/fertility/in-vitro-fertilization.htm Pandey, S., Shetty, A., Hamilton, M., Bhattacharya, S., & Maheshwari, A. (2012). Obstetric and perinatal outcomes in singleton pregnancies resulting from IVF/ICSI: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Oxford Journals. 18, 485-503. doi: 10.1093/humupd/dms018 Society for Reproductive Medicine. (2013). 2009 Clinic summary report. Retrieved from https://www.sartcorsonline.com/rptCSR_PublicMultYear.aspx?ClinicPKID=0 Read More