Assisted Reproduction

Assisted reproduction is a process that "facilitates sperm-egg interaction and, therefore, improves the likelihood of fertilization and pregnancy in infertile couples, (Stonybrook University Hospital, 2007)." Assisted Reproduction has only been around for three decades. There are many different procedures that are included as assisted reproduction. There is medication to induce ovulation, in vitro fertilization, egg donors, and etc.

I know some things about in vitro fertilization. I had a friend who tried it unsuccessfully. This is the procedure when the woman's egg cell is fertilized by the male's sperm outside of the womb. The zygote is then placed into the woman's uterus. Then there is about a two week period in which the woman waits to see if the pregnancy takes. This procedure was first developed for patients with problems of the fallopian tubes. The success rate is about fifteen percent. (Georgia Reproductive Specialist, 2007). The first baby born of in vitro fertilization was Louise Brown. She was born on July 25, 1978 in Oldham, England. There was a lot ethics issues around her birth (BBC News: Health, 2003).

This is another moral issue that I never really thought much about. When my friend was trying to have a baby through this process, I just hoped for that it would work for her. This process was so expensive for her and her husband, and was not a success for her. They ended up losing there home and had to move in with her parents. Now they are back on there feet and they have adopted a child that they are very happy with. Some people say that when you cannot conceive a child naturally that it is sign from God that you are suppose to adopt a child. I do understand that some women really want to go through the process of being pregnant and they want to see their own biological child grow up.

References

Stonybrook University Hospital. (n.d.). Assisted Reproduction. Retrieved March 11, 2007, from http://www.uhmc.sunysb.edu/urology/male_infertility/assisted _reproduction.html

Georgia Reproductive Specialists. (n.d.). In Vitro Fertilization (IVF-ET). Retrieved March 11, 2007, from http://www.ivf.com/ivffaq.html

BBC News:Health.(2003).