The phrase “test tube baby” was used in 1978 after the successful delivery of Louise Joy Brown in England, courtesy of pioneering scientist Sir Robert Edwards and gynecologist Dr. Patrick Steptoe’s creation of the Assisted Reproductive Technique (ART) known as In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). Soon thereafter, in 1983, Samuel Lee of Singapore became Asia’s first test tube baby, courtesy to Prof. S.S. Ratnam and Prof. Ng Soon Chye – the Medical Director of Sincere IVF Center – and his team. Despite its widespread usage, the phrase “test tube baby” continues to confound couples seeking medical care for infertility difficulties. Some argue that the creation of test tube infants requires a different kind of assisted reproductive technology (ART) than IVF or that it is a form of intrauterine insemination (IUI).
What Is a Test Tube Baby?
- The term “test tube baby” refers to a child conceived outside of a mother’s womb. A more exact definition of test tube babies is those that are made in a laboratory by the scientific method known as In-Vitro Fertilization (IVF). The name “test tube” is also misleading, since the laboratory instrument used to mix the eggs and sperm began decades before with Edwards and Steptoe.
- Thus, the term “test tube baby” is an oversimplified euphemism for a child born by in vitro fertilization. As a consequence, IVF and test tube infants are identical.
Test Tube Baby Step-by-Step Process
Ever since that successful attempt in 1978, numerous advancements have been made to IVF but the core procedure remains the same.
Step 1: Egg production stimulated by hormone therapy
Prior to egg retrieval, the lady receives injectable GnRHa and gonadotrophins to promote the simultaneous growth and maturation of follicles inside her ovaries. An injection of HCG is used to complete the maturation of the eggs 36 hours prior to egg collection.
Step 2: Eggs retrieved from ovary
The woman is given a little sedative or an aesthetic to ensure she is comfortable during the egg retrieval operation. The fertility specialist uses an ultrasonography vaginal probe fitted with a small hollow needle to aspirate eggs from the woman’s ovaries. These specimens are transferred straight to the laboratory.
Step 3: Sperm Sample Provided
On the same day as the egg retrieval, the male must supply a new semen sample.
Step 4: Eggs and sperm combined to allow fertilization
The sperm and eggs are joined in a Petri plate and then put inside an incubator for a few days. Throughout this time period, the fertility specialist will monitor the embryos for signs of fertilization and their development.
Step 5: Fertilized eggs introduced into the uterus
On the day of embryo transfer, a small catheter is used to insert two or three embryos into the woman’s uterus. Progesterone or HCG is prescribed daily to help develop and nourish the uterine lining and increase the probability of implantation.
A frequently asked question is how uncomfortable IVF shots are. When compared to insulin injections for diabetes, the majority of women experience minimal pain and discomfort with hormone injections. According to some women, the most painful injections are those containing progesterone, an oil-based hormone that requires the use of a larger-holed needle.
The Advantages and Disadvantages of Test Tube Babies
The benefits and downsides of test-tube infants are identical to those of IVF.
The primary benefit of IVF is that it may be used to resolve a variety of reproductive issues, including.
- Infertility that is unexplained
- Obstruction of the fallopian tubes
- Infertility due to the malefactor (commonly done together with Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection or ICSI)
- Patients over the age of 50 who want to become parents
- Ovarian reserve is insufficient
- Syndrome of Polycystic Ovaries (PCOS)
- Premature Ovarian Failure Due to Endometriosis
IVF is not without hazards, and like other arduous medical treatments, it may bring couples emotional and mental distress. Singaporeans may finance the surgery using government co-funding and Medisave resources.
Potential Alternative Treatments
- A novel method may soon make intrauterine fertilization accessible to all IVF couples. In the United Kingdom and certain fertility clinics around Europe, a device called AneVivo is presently being developed. The Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA) approved it in September 2015, and the first baby conceived with the procedure was born in 2016.
- The researchers who developed the novel technology think that embryo health may be enhanced further by allowing embryos to spend less time in the laboratory and more time in their natural habitat, the uterus.
- The new procedure involves the incorporation of egg and sperm cells into a very tiny capsule. (The capsule is just a centimeter in length and a millimeter in width.) This capsule is subsequently implanted for 24 hours in the uterus. Hopefully, fertilization will occur during this period. The capsule is removed and opened after the given time period. Then, physicians choose viable embryos for reintroduction into the uterus.
- Not only may this new technology alleviate religious worries (at least for some), but it might also create a more natural setting for conception. Additionally, it will provide women with the opportunity to experience conception inside their own bodies.
People Also Search: –
What is test tube baby explain?
- a child produced from an egg that was fertilized outside of a woman’s body and then put back into the woman’s body to finish developing.
Can test tube babies have babies?
- Less than 5% of fertility patients requires IVF. An estimated 8 million IVF-conceived babies have been born around the world. 1 These so-called “test-tube babies” are as healthy and normal as typically conceived children.
Is test tube baby painful?
- As it is assumed, the procedure to extract viable eggs from your ovaries is not very intense. This is carried out after injecting sedation; thus, no pain can be felt. In fact, in a few hours, you are even allowed to go home.
What is difference between IVF and test tube baby?
- A test-tube baby is a baby who is conceived by IVF. IVF is in vitro fertilization where the word “vitro” means glass. In such cases, the fertilization is done outside the uterus in a glass vessel by combining a female egg with a sperm. IVF and test-tube babies are the same with no difference at all.
Who is the father of test tube baby?
- Robert Edwards, pictured holding the world’s first test tube baby, Louise Brown, who was born on July 25, 1978. (CNN) — The “father of the test tube baby,” Robert G. Edwards, won the Nobel Prize for medicine on Monday, the awards committee announced.
