In Vitro Fertilisation In Ivf

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Extended Response
Reproductive Technologies – IVF
Introduction
In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is the procedure whereby a child is conceived outside of the human body. The process is carried out by putting a man’s sperm and a woman’s egg into a test tube for fertilisation. The consequential embryos are then placed into the woman’s uterus for the duration of the rest of the pregnancy. The procedure is carried out over several weeks and involves stimulating the ovaries, collecting the eggs, fertilisation and the embryo transfer (1).
The first step in IVF is stimulating the ovaries. This is done by injecting a Follicle Stimulating Hormone (FSH) to increase the number of eggs the woman produces. Once the eggs have matured, they are removed from the ovaries by putting a needle into the fluid filled sacs, which hold the eggs, and aspirating them out.

Figure 1 – Egg removal
The semen is then collected and put into a test tube, with the sperm that have poor motility being filtered out. The eggs are then inseminated with the sperm and cultured in a laboratory for 16-20 hours. The fertilised embryos are grown in a laboratory incubator for one to two days. The embryo transfer is then carried out and a maximum of three fertilised eggs are inserted into the woman’s uterus (2, 3).

Figure 2 – Step by step process of IVF
The process of IVF can have an implication on society, not necessarily as a whole, but on different parts of society. This can be with regards to the different religious views within society or the financial and emotional toll it can have on those partaking in IVF. In addition to these factors, the use of IVF to create ‘designer babies’ is a highly debated topic within society.
The attitudes of religions such as the Cathol...

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...a designer baby?. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.bionetonline.org/english/content/db_cont1.htm [Accessed 29 May 2014].
8. A Catholic View: In-Vitro Fertilization, the Human Cost | LifeNews.com. 2014. A Catholic View: In-Vitro Fertilization, the Human Cost | LifeNews.com. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.lifenews.com/2012/08/28/a-catholic-view-in-vitro-fertilization-the-human-cost/ [Accessed 29 May 2014].
9. Down syndrome Causes - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic . 2014. Down syndrome Causes - Diseases and Conditions - Mayo Clinic . [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/down-syndrome/basics/causes/con-20020948 [Accessed 29 May 2014].
10. Advantages and Disadvantages of IVF. 2014. Advantages and Disadvantages of IVF. [ONLINE] Available at: http://www.fssc.com.au/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-ivf/ [Accessed 29 May 2014].

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