Fertilization in vitro
Posted on May 4, 2010 by christopher
Fertilization in vitro provides the couple affected by a particular genetic abnormality, the birth of a child is completely healthy. In Italy can be so treated very common genetic diseases like sickle cell anemia (thalassemia B) and cystic fibrosis. In this case even if the parents are only carriers the risk of generating a sick child, is 25%. Many rare diseases such as haemophilia, muscular dystrophies, spinal atrophy, fragile X syndrome, sickle cell disease or leukodystrophy recognize genetic alteration and therefore can be treated successfully. Today there are many diagnostic protocols for chromosomal disorders and diseases for at least 120 so-called ‘Monogenic’, that alterations to a single gene. According to European data collected to date (2002-2003) are done at least a thousand treatment courses a year, with over two thousand children born. Genetic diagnosis can be made at different levels: before or after fertilization of the oocyte or embryo before or after training.
“The preconception diagnosis is made by taking a structure of the egg cell is not essential for the fertilization process, called the first polar body, explains Dr. Greek Herman, Director of the Center for Reproductive Medicine European Hospital in Rome (ergreco1@virgilio.i) – This technique has the great advantage of ethics not to intervene on the embryo but the restriction can be handled only transmitted diseases female and requires very young women with a great heritage oocytes. Preimplantation diagnosis, it is now possible thanks to the repetition of the Constitutional Court in May 2009, is made by the embryo directly, taking a single cell, after practicing a small access road with laser equipment.
In this way not affecting the viability or the ability of installation. Genetic diagnosis is made in a period of approximately 24 hours and then the embryo is transferred into the uterus of healthy women in the fourth to fifth day of its development in a completely non-invasive. The success rate of pregnancy and is now very high, around 60-70%, while that of diagnostic error is practically zero (less than 2%). A major recent achievement is also the possibility of using this technique by patients who have certain cancers in hereditary transmission.