Saviour Siblings

1. What is IVF?
IVF stands for In Vitro Fertilisation, it involves the fertilisation of an egg outside of the body. The treatment can be performed using your own egg and sperm or donated egg and sperm.
Stages:
1. Suppressing your natural monthly hormone cycle, by being a given a hormone suppressor drug for about 2 weeks 2. Boosting the egg supply, by being given a fertility hormone known as Gonadotrophin. A daily infection in taken for 12 days. 3. Collecting the eggs, a hollow needle is attached to an ultrasound probe and used to collect eggs 4. Fertilising the egg, the eggs will be mixed with your partner’s or donor’s sperm and cultured for 16-20 hours. Those that have been fertilised are incubated for 6 days and best is chosen. 5. Embryo transfer, a maximum of 3 can be used. A speculum is inserted into the vagina. A catheter is passed through the cervix and the embryos are passed into the womb. 2. Who is Suitable? * If you have been diagnosed with unexplained fertility * The fallopian tubes are blocked * Fertility drugs have not been successful * Male partner has fertility problems * If you are using donated or frozen eggs or sperm * To avoid passing on a genetic disorder

3. Who may receive treatment? * Women aged between 23-39 at the time of treatment who have been diagnosed with a fertility problem * If they have been infertile for atleast 2 years * Women aged 40-42 who have not conceived after 2 years of regular, unprotected sex

4. Ethical Issues? * Should lesbians be allowed IVF, when childlessness is not an absence of fertility on the NHS – resource allocation * Pregnancy past menopause – capable of pregnancy now, may be less clinically effective * Implantation of an embryo without consent of both parties * Children born as a result of gamete