First Baby Born From New In-Vitro Fertilization Egg-Screening Technique
by Steven Ertelt
LifeNews.com Editor
September 2, 2009
London, England (LifeNews.com) — Scientists in England report that the first baby has been born from a controversial new egg-screening technique that has its basis in in-vitro fertilization. Baby Oliver was born to a woman who had failed on 13 occasions to have a child using conventional in-vitro procedures.
The new technique, called array comparative genomic hybridization (CGH), reportedly doubles the odds of an unborn child at conception being able to implant in the uterus so the pregnancy can continue to birth.
The process makes it so the eggs involved in the pregnancy have the normal number of chromosomes, thus increasing the likelihood of a successful pregnancy.
"Chromosomal abnormality plays a major part in the failure to establish a pregnancy," Simon Fisher, managing director of the CARE Fertility Group, which oversaw the procedure, told AFP. "Full chromosome analysis may double the chance of success in couples who have a poor chance of conceiving or a history of failed treatments and miscarriage."
"Up to half of the eggs in younger women and up to 75 percent in women over 39 are chromosomally abnormal," Fisher said.
The technique not only boosts the percentage chance of a successful pregnancy but also cuts the chances of multiple embryos, which presents a concern for pro-life advocates because the additional unborn children often become victims of abortion.
It also allows so unborn children are not frozen and the results of the test come back in 24-48 hours instead of weeks.
John Smeaton of SPUC, the British pro-life group, warned that the process still has its basis in an in-vitro procedure that presents ethical problems.
"While medical techniques which increase the chances for women to have children are greatly to be promoted, IVF exposes embryonic children to death and abuse," he said.
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