Preimplantation diagnosis

With the report of the birth of the first in-vitro fertilization (IVF) infant, 'Louise Joy Brown' in 1978, a lot of progress have been achieved in the reproductive endocrinology field (1). It involves the steps of hyperstimulation of the ovaries to achieve many oocytes in good quality, aspiration of these mature oocytes and bringing them together with the previously collected and prepared sperm to get fertilization. Afterwards the early conception product, namely the embryo is transferred back to the uterus. Now the IVF is considered to be safe and so far nearly 100.000 infants born through this procedure have been reported. IVF has opened the door to several reproductive advances such as oocyte donation, embryo freezing and assisted fertilization procedures like the recently introduced and very successful procedure of intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) for couples with severe male factor infertility and lastly the preimplantation diagnosis.

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  • Steptoe PC, Edwards RG. Birth after the implantation of a human embryo. Lancet 1978;2:366-367.