The fertilisation of an oocyte by a sperm from a male and a female donor outside the woman, with the subsequent implantation of the early embryo into a receptive female’s uterus.

• A woman is induced to ovulate by giving her a treatment with the hormone FSH.
  
• HCG is used 36 hours before collection to mature the oocytes and loosen them in their follicles.
  
• The oocytes she produces are collected by laproscopy (a catheter or tube is guided into the abdomen) from mature follicles on the surface of the ovary.
  
• The collected oocytes are separated from the follicular liquid.
  
• Sperms are harvested from a male by ejaculation, the sperms are washed to activate them (capacitation) and selected for good motility.
  
• 20 000 sperms are placed in a dish with one oocyte in a culture medium similar to that found in the fallopian tube of a woman. They are left for 2 to 6 hours.
  
• The zygotes are placed in a sperm free medium.
  
• The embryos are left to develop for 3 days and the best are selected for implantation.
  
• Implantation of 2 or 3 embryos in a receptive mother.
  
• Implantation can be in the same woman who donated the oocyte. In which case the timing must be right, 7 – 10 days after ovulation.
  
• Implantation could be carried out in another woman (surrogate mother) who has had hormone treatment to prepare her uterus for implantation.

• IVF can permit childless couples to have their own children
• IVF can be used to select embryos which can survive in couples which carry genetic diseases.
  
• The use of surrogate mothers could permit professional women to continue their careers.

• Not all the embryos created are used, so some will be destroyed yet they can be considered individuals.
• The method for obtaining the oocytes from the mother are not without some risks.
• Women are implanted with several embryos which increases the chances of multiple births. This places the mother and her babies at risk.
• IVF could increase the chances of babies with congenital problems being born.

  Under natural conditions: For 100 oocytes exposed to sperms IVF is 0 – 25% successful so it does not seem to be encouraging the birth of children affected with congenital problems.

• It could lead to selective breeding (eugenics).
  Yes it could be abused to promote particular characteristics (positive eugenics)
  It is already being used to eliminated undesirable characteristics (negative eugenics) such as congenital problems.
   
• It could encourage the involvement of surrogate mothers.
  Indeed all sorts of possible combinations are possible, sperm donors, oocyte donors, surrogate mothers.

• Babies could be specially conceived using IVF to provide cells for brothers and sisters with congenital problems.
  This has been done, the stem cells can be extracted from the umbilical cords of a new born baby and transplanted into another person.
  Thus several attempts are made to create the right individual but only embryos with the desired criteria are retained.

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© Paul Billiet 2009