Assisted Reproductive technology (Art) is a technology used to make babies in artificial way. This technology gave hope to a lot of people all over the world to have children.
Statistics show that almost Three million infants have been delivered using Assisted Reproductive Technology in the last 30 years, all over the world. This procedure enables couples to achieve pregnancy, for example women or men who are infertile; also singles that want have babies, and gays and lesbian.Basically the (Art) process of intercourse is done by insemination (Like, artificial insemination) or fertilization, and this procedure is done by taking the Oocyte and fertilizing it in the laboratory (For example, in vitro fertilization). People using (ART) can create a family who is genetically related. Today technology makes life easier and creates a hopeful possibility. Although, this technology has changed the way we view reproduction, we have to be concerned about health issues, ethics, and law (Geneticsandsocitey, Galpern 2007)In the United States in 1995 there were 1.
million women, which 2 percent of 60. 2 million of women who had infertility medical problems. There were several causes for this medical problem, the main one was a blockage in the fallopian tubes; another cause id pelvic adhesions which cause pain during the intercourse and is a symptomatic of infertility, also endometriosis were the endometrial tissue is found outside the uterus, furthermore ovulation is another cause where the ovary of the women doesn’t produce a mature egg (Nejm. Rebar and DeCherney 2004).
Just 15 percent of these women had infertility services in their lives.The procedures in the United States had doubled in the last 10 years. In 2006 there were 138,198 cycles with a result of 41,343 live births and 54,656 infants. In 2010 the European lead the world in (ART). During The 26 Annual meeting, the European society of Human Reproduction and Embryology, reported that there were “479,288 treatment cycles in 32 European countries in 2007, and 142,435 cycles from the US and 56,817 Cycles From Australia and New Zealand. The number of cycles performed in many developed countries has grown by 5-10% per annum over the last 5 years”(phsyorg.
Europe leads the world in assisted-reproduction technology 2010). Infertility is a problem that must be considered. Infertility is health issue in the reproductive system. This medical disorder enables couples to have children after at least one year of unprotected sex. Statics show that many couples suffer from this medical problem; almost 10% of women at the age population (15-44) years who tried to have babies and experienced infertility. Age can be a big impact on infertility; Studies show the infertility is increased with age, because age can be cause of releasing eggs, the number of eggs decrease, also not healthy.
Infertility can be both couple problem, this disorder is not just a women’s problem. Talking about female infertility, the general causes can be issues with the women’s ovulation. Different things can cause ovulation problem, generally a hormone called polycystic ovarian syndrome can cause it. This hormone prevents ovulation from acting normally.
Another cause that can interfere ovulation is the primary ovarian insufficiency, this disease happens when a women reaches 40 or less, and her ovaries stops working.Aspects that increase a woman’s risk to face infertility, on of them is smoking; Smokers are more likely to be infertile than non-smokers. In addition sexual transmitted diseases can lead to infertility; (for example pelvic inflammatory disease) this diseases infects the uterus. As the studies say that infertility is not a woman’s problem it’s also a man’s problem.
Male can also experience infertility, the main cause is disorder called Varicocele. This disease accurse in the male testicles when the veins are large, it increases the temperature of the testicles, which affects the shape or number of sperm produced.There are also other factors, often they can be the produce if the sperm if they are few or none, and a distortion in the sperm that can affect it movement and shape ([ART] National Center for Health Statistics) A study (1982-1985) carried out by the world health organization (WHO1987) found that 20% of the infertility problems where male and 38% where female. The male infertility can be linked with a wide range of semen anomalies, such as number of sperms, motility and morphology.
(McElreavey 1) Since 1978 the first child was born outside a woman’s body through Reproduction Technology (IVF), her name was Louis Brown in England.Reproductive medicine and the test-tube baby has been highly advertized in the western world. This technology is “miracle cure” for infertility (Klein 1) Infertility can be treated in different ways; one of them is Assisted reproductive Technology. ART contains different techniques to treat infertility. This technology is basically taking the egg from the mother and the sperm outside the couple’s body, and fertilizing it in a laboratory environment to make the embryo. As I mentioned, there are a lot of types of ART.
The main procedure is the in vitro fertilization.This procedure means that the egg and sperm are fertilized outside the couple’s body to create the embryo; Studies say that this procedure is the most successful and effective one in Assisted Reproductive Technology. Its can be effective when the woman’s fallopian tube are blocked or the male is producing not too much sperms. The procedure starts with the Doctor giving the woman medication the helps her produce more than an egg, and then the eggs are removed from her body and into a dish in the laboratory with the sperm so they can be fertilized. They wait approximately from 3-5 days, and check if embryo is created.
After that the healthy embryo is implanted inside the woman’s body. Another procedures that are not often used is the Zygote intrafallopian transfer (ZIFT) and Gamete intrafallopian transfer (GIFT). The( Zift) is almost similar to the IVF except that the healthy embryo is implanted in the fallopian tube instead of the uterus. In the procedure (Gift) what happens is a little bit different then the IVF, instead for fertilizing the egg outside the woman’s body they fertilize the egg inside the woman’s body ([ART] National Center for Health Statistics).Another treatment that can be used is the Tintracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
This procedure is basically used in male who suffer from infertility and don’t wont to undergo the sperm insemination procedure. ICSI is preformed via surgery, they take a mature egg and delicate needle used to pick up the sperm and then they carefully insert it via the shell of the egg called (Zona) until it reaches the center of the egg (cytoplasm). In the morning the gametes are checked for evidence of normal fertilization.Once a successful fertilization is accomplished they physically implant the embryo into the woman’s uterus (advacedfertility 1996-2010).
Assisted Reproductive Technology depends on many things that affect the success rates. These factors include age, causes if infertility, clinical problems, the type of procedure, the type of egg is it fresh or frozen, and the type of embryo if it is fresh or frozen too. The 2007 CDC reports show statistical success rates that led to giving birth for women who undergo ART. Women who are younger tan 35 years 40% of them where successful. Ages from 35-37 years 31% of them gave birth.This brings us up to women who are aged from 38-40 years the success rate was 21%, which leaves us with women who are 41- 44 years the success rate was approximately form 12%-5% depending on the increase of age.
We conclude that as long the woman gets older the infertility disorder is most likely possible and the success of treatment is most likely week (([ART] National Center for Health Statistics). Reproductive technologies are beneficial “ Medical profession has been aware if these situations for generations, physicians know that a lack of parenthood can be as stressful any other medical dysfunction”(J.Marik 23).What Marik expressed that having infertility problems, and not been unable to become pregnant can make the couples life stressed. “The difference between a successful person and others is nit a lack of strength, not a lack of knowledge, but rather in a lack of will.
”(T. Lombardi) In Vitro Fertilization Benefits Infertile couples, 90% of infertility is correctable and 10% is unexplainable (Goldfarb 25-26). This percentage shows us the miracle of modern science. The lack of parenthood and late pregnancy can be a symptom of depression.
In the United States 10-15 percent of couples experienced infertility. 50% of them will never have children. Studies show that these couples that consult a psychotherapist have witnessed depression and emotional needs. Assisted Reproductive technology helps infertile couples, single couples, and gays and lesbian get treated from infertility (Spector. 2007,vol. 27).
Likewise undergoing assisted reproductive technology and not achieving success rates can affect satisfaction with life. It also can decrease self-confidence and distress their lives (Hammarberg, Fisher, Wynter, vol. 4 2008)“Reproductive Technologies can Harm Women, because sometimes Reproductive Technology is open to abuse. For example can you describe the theft of human egg? Or the kidnapping of an embryo? Even, the abduction of reproduction? ” (Goodman 44) If we imagine two infertile couple trying to have a biological child, they are in a position dealing with the expenses, the indignities, and the emotional and hormonal roller coaster of in Vitro fertilization, also the month-by-month hopes and disappointments (Goodman 44).Imagine discovering years later that you’re child is born to another couple from you’re egg and possibly you’re sperm. Or twins carrying you’re DNA but someone else’s name (Goodman 44).
For example In California two couple accusing doctors of theft and fraud. The doctor who has been charged is Ricardo Asch, the man who devised the Gift [gamete intra-fallopian transfer] procedure that greatly increased the odds of success of in Vitro fertilization, and helped the suing couples give birth. Asch along with two partners is accused of many things as using unapproved fertility drugs (Goodman 44).Another situation we can talk about is Sperm Donation; most of the world’s sperm banks are on the United States, Many countries like Japan and Europe are so surprised that the United States is so tolerant about free market in sperm (As Leo expressed 46) Although in Japan it’s difficult, but not impossible for single women to acquire sperm donor. In Great Britain it’s allowed, France banned the sale o sperm to single women.
In Italy there is no law, but in April 1995 its national Association of doctor Voted to deny artificial insemination to single women, they added the sperm should be only available to heterosexual couples (Leo 46).Sperm Donation is a threat to the family it can change the worlds vision to marriage and ideal family, these technologies consider a family of one adult and an child. Studies shoe that woman who where conceived by sperm donors are searching for the donor, who shared half of his genetics to the child. “Offspring were asked about their reasons for searching for their donor siblings. They were first asked to select all their reasons for searching from a list. They were then asked what was their main reason .
The most common reason given was curiosity, with 94% (121) of offspring selecting this as one of their reasons.Curiosity was also the most common main reason for searching for donor Siblings, selected by 44% (57) of offspring” (jadava 2010). Infertile couple should pursue adoption, not Reproductive Technology. Instead of going through hard times expressing infertility treatment as difficult or expensive or risky it can be, why not think about children who are unwanted, endangered and malnourished (As Tisdale expressed 50-1).
I think that we are responsible for children; they have the right to live a convenient life, with good nutrition, education, shelter and families.Although, some people can’t imagine themselves having love for a child who isn’t there’s and looks different, we have to be considered that a newborn is a stranger, which brings the two to a similar point. The idea is all about accepting a new baby as he was your own, and releasing you own feelings to consider that you’re parent. Being a parent means opening your heart for a new place (as Tisdale expressed 50-1). Assisted Reproductive Technology has been an advantage to pre-implantation Genetic diagnosis (PGD).This technology gave parents that have genetic disorders to give birth to a healthy child without, and without facing the prenatal diagnosis.
The (PGD) is basically a different aspect from (ART). Pre-implantation works two ways, the first is it prevent the birth of the child from any genetic disorder, the second is it allows the couples to start only an unaffected pregnancy. In fact pre-implantation has a lot of benefits one of them is helping to advance in the stem cell therapy and research. Assisted reproductive technology is a miracle technology.Allowed a lot of single parents to get pregnant even if on of the parents is dead.
This procedure occurs through frozen the embryos for a chosen time and then transferring it to woman’s uterus. The embryo can be frozen for a long time. After six days of fertilization, embryos can be frozen up to ten years (shared journey, Frozen embryo transfer). Assisted reproductive technology and the economic impact on it. This technology is an expensive procedure not all couples can afford paying for it.
As we know since the first tube baby 1978 thousands of (IVF) cycles are performed in the US.After 39% of IVF cycles multiple births occur, 26% in Europe. Multiple births are a main cause of increasing the IVF cost. In the US insurance does not cover the cost of IVF, except in some states like Massachusetts (commentaries.
Katz, Nachtigall, Showstack ). Finally assisted reproductive technology has been a big hope to infertile couple since 1978. And it has been the one of the effective and successful methods to treat infertility. I can personally say that a lot of people who have medical issues (infertility), ART is the great solution. It helped people all over the world bear a child.Work Citedhttp://www.geneticsandsociety.org/downloads/ART.pdfhttp://www.nejm.org/doi/pdf/10.1056/NEJMp048046http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Infertility#Causes_in_either_sexhttp://www.advancedfertility.com/icsi.htm
