Since 1978 when the first test tube baby was born through assisted reproductive technologies, assisted reproductive technologies have experienced considerable advancement. Yet despite this progress, assisted reproductive services continue to be expensive, time consuming and often not covered by insurance plans.
This article investigates how new biomedical imaging technologies produce novel visual depictions of embryos that circulate beyond fertility clinics, providing new approaches for encountering assisted reproduction as well as exploring patients and partners’ engagements with reproductive bioinformation.
Fertility Treatments
Assisted Reproductive Technologies (ARTs) have provided many couples once thought infertile with healthy births. These state-of-the-art treatments involve the handling of eggs or embryos outside of the body to overcome fertility issues caused by tubal blockages, male factor infertility, diminished ovarian reserve, ovulatory dysfunction or unexplained infertility. Common treatments for infertility issues include in vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), cryopreservation as well as traditional and gestational surrogacy arrangements.
Traditional conception involves a man ejaculating semen into his partner’s vagina during or close to ovulation and having it met by her ovaries releasing an egg, followed by her pituitary gland releasing follicle-stimulating hormones which cause follicles to grow within her ovary, producing eggs which are fertilized through artificial insemination with sperm.
IVF (in vitro fertilization) is one of the most advanced assisted reproductive techniques, involving retrieving mature eggs, fertilizing them in the laboratory with sperm, and then implanting the embryo(s) back into their mother’s uterus. This process boasts an outstanding success rate; additionally, additional methods like preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) help identify embryos with genetic disorders in order to increase successful pregnancy outcomes.
People with disabilities face unique barriers when trying to conceive using traditional assisted reproductive technology (ART). Cost can be prohibitive and insurance coverage limited; yet there are ways for those with disabilities to achieve fertility through ART; including using third-party donor eggs, sperm or embryos as well as working with gestational carriers or surrogates.
IVF
IVF-ET (In Vitro Fertilization – Embryo Transfer) is one of the most successful treatments for fertility issues. This process involves retrieving eggs from your ovaries, manually mixing them with sperm in a laboratory to cause fertilization, and implanting an embryo back into your uterus for implant. IVF-ET treatment typically targets difficult-to-treat etiologies like tubal factor infertility or severe endometriosis more effectively than traditional remedies like other approaches such as tubal factor infertility or endometriosis.
IVF involves various techniques, including embryo culture, oocyte cryopreservation and preimplantation genetic diagnosis/preimplantation screening (PGD/PGS). PGD and PGS can improve chances of pregnancy by identifying embryos carrying genetic defects known to lead to miscarriage – these embryos will not be selected for implantation into a woman’s uterus and remain frozen at that point in time.
IVF may be used alone or combined with other treatments, and is best predicted by the age of the woman using IVF. Multiple pregnancy increases risks like high blood pressure and diabetes during gestation, premature labor and delivery, low birth weight in babies, etc. More research needs to be conducted into whether IVF specifically raises this risk or other factors contribute. It also poses an increased risk of ectopic pregnancies which may develop anywhere within or outside of a woman’s fallopian tube or body – further complicating matters!
Surrogacy
Surrogacy allows individuals who are unable to carry a pregnancy to term to become parents through artificial insemination – the implantation of an embryo fertilized with the intended father’s sperm into an embryo carried by a surrogate mother and given back once born as legal parent of non-biological parent(s). Surrogacy may be used by couples experiencing infertility issues, global couples navigating geopolitical challenges or same-sex individuals unable to carry pregnancies themselves.
Finding a surrogate can be a difficult and emotional decision for intended parents, so selecting one should not be taken lightly. When selecting your surrogate whether it be someone related, friend, acquaintance or through an agency it is key that both parties develop strong bonds of communication during this process to minimize stress and anxiety for all.
Dinsmore advises both surrogates and intended parents to partner with reproductive attorneys who specialize in assisted reproduction to ensure a smooth journey. A reputable law firm will make sure both parties understand all of the risks and benefits associated with surrogacy as well as offer comprehensive medical and psychological evaluation and counseling to all parties involved in surrogacy arrangements.
Egg Donation
Egg donation is an assisted reproductive technology (ART). In this method, an egg donor gives her eggs to another woman for use during an in vitro fertilization (IVF) procedure to create an embryo that will then be implanted into her uterus via IVF.
Women looking to donate eggs must meet certain requirements, including being fertile and healthy. She will undergo various medical exams, such as physical and gynecological exams, blood and urine tests and psychological evaluation. In addition, donors are asked about their family histories as well as genetic conditions they could pass down to future offspring.
As well as medical tests, donors will also need to refrain from smoking and using illegal drugs during the treatment cycle. Furthermore, they must be free of sexually transmitted diseases as well as avoid unprotected sexual intercourse for certain weeks of treatment.
Egg donors typically receive compensation for their time and efforts; however, there may be questions as to how best to determine fair compensation levels. Donors should have an opportunity to discuss financial remuneration during screening processes as well as being informed of all potential uses of their data.
