Tag Archives: in vitro fertilization

UK Approves Three-Person IVF Techniques

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Couples who are having difficulty conceiving have the option of turning to in vitro fertilization (IVF). The process allows that couple to pass their own genetic material onto an offspring that is biologically theirs. The UK recently approved a new kind of IVF that has been referred to as “three-parent babies”. The two techniques are somewhat different but each can be used to help couples produce a healthy child. In vitro fertilization (IVF) is a complex procedure that combines an egg and sperm outside of the body. The conception happens in a laboratory. Once an embryo (or embryos as is … Continue reading →

Embryo Adoption, Part Two

My last blog was on a relatively new type of adoption, embryo adoption. The visibility of embryo adoption will, I predict, increase quite a bit for three reasons. The increased debate about stem cells will impact people’s awareness of and beliefs about frozen embryos, which are a main source of embryonic stem cells. Some scientists say that embryonic stem cells, which have not yet differentiated into different types of tissues, will be the most useful for treating diseases (although non-embryonic stem cells, obtained from blood, umbilical cords or other tissue, have already been used to treat aplastic anemia, and other … Continue reading →

Another Type of Adoption: Embryo Adoption

Soon after I became an adoption blogger for Families.com over two years ago, I wrote blogs introducing three kinds of adoption—domestic infant adoption, adoption from the child welfare system, and international adoption. But now there is another kind of adoption: embryo adoption. “Embryo adoption” or “Embryo donation” is when a couple donates unused embryos that were created and frozen during infertility treatment to another couple. These embryos are transferred to the womb of the recipient mother. Technically this is not “adoption” at all in most states, since most states agree that the legal mother of a child is the mother … Continue reading →

Hollywood Moms and Fertility Treatments

Still no sign of Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s twins, but to keep public interest high in the double spawn of Brangelina Us Weekly has the famous Hollywood parents front and center on the cover of this week’s magazine with the headline: “IT WAS IN VITRO!” According to the periodical, Jolie “conceived through in vitro fertilization” in order to conceive 2-week-old twins Knox and Vivienne. A well-placed source within the Jolie-Pitt camp tells Us, the handsome couple “desperately wanted babies quickly.” The magazine then has doctors weighing in on Jolie’s chances of conceiving twins naturally. According to one reproductive specialist, … Continue reading →

What is In Vitro Fertilization?

In vitro fertilization (IVF) is one form of assisted reproductive technology that is used to help women get pregnant. Basically, the sperm and the egg are removed from the bodies of the parents and the egg is fertilized in a lab. After fertilization, the eggs are placed in the uterus. Ovulation is usually induced through the use of injectable fertility drugs. Your partner will give you the injections at home. The staff at the fertility clinic will teach you and your partner how to do the injections correctly. Your hormone levels will be monitored with blood tests. The development of … Continue reading →

Embryo Adoption

The subject of embryo adoption has been getting a lot of attention lately, as a result of the debate about embryonic stem cell research. The debate about what to do with all the embryos in freezers in fertility clinics around the country rages on. One solution that is offered can actually help couples experiencing infertility issues. Embryos are often put up for adoption as a result of another couple’s infertility treatments. Sometimes a couple gets pregnant and has too many embryos left over. These sit in a freezer in a fertility clinic. If the couple decides they are done having … Continue reading →