What does test tube baby (NT) mean?
In vitro fertilization embryo transfer (IVF-ET) is a kind of assisted reproductive technology, which aims to help couples who cannot conceive naturally realize their reproductive dreams. NT is a variant of IVF technology, namely genetic diagnosis technology.
1. Basic principles of IVF technology
IVF technology first needs to extract eggs from the woman, collect sperm from the man, and combine eggs and sperm in the laboratory to form a fertilized egg. Then, these fertilized eggs are cultured and developed in the culture medium for several days. Finally, the embryos with the most development potential are selected and transferred to the female uterus to achieve pregnancy.
This technology was first applied in the 1970s. After years of development and improvement, it has become an important means to solve the problem of infertility and facilitate fertility worldwide.
2. Concept and steps of IVF NT technology
Test tube baby NT technology is called Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD). As a branch of IVF, PGD can detect chromosome abnormalities, single gene genetic diseases or some susceptible genes carried by embryos through genetic diagnosis technology.
Test tube baby NT technology mainly includes the following steps:
The first step is in vitro fertilization: as with traditional IVF technology, eggs are taken from the woman and sperm are taken from the man, and then they are combined in the laboratory.
The second step, culture and diagnosis: after the fertilized egg is cultured in the culture medium for several days, the embryo begins to divide. During this period, embryonic cells can be sampled for genetic examination to determine the genetic status of the embryo.
The third step is to select the best embryo: through the results of genetic diagnosis, doctors can select the healthiest embryo for transplantation, improve the probability of successful pregnancy and reduce the risk of children's disease.
3. Application scope of test tube baby NT technology
IVF NT technology is mainly applicable to the following situations:
1. Couples with multiple abortions or repeated IVF failures due to chromosome abnormalities.
2. The couple has some genetic diseases, such as congenital heart disease, hemophilia, etc., and hopes to screen embryos with low risk of disease through genetic diagnosis technology for transplantation.
3. There are major genetic diseases in couples, and they hope to select fertilized eggs carrying normal genes for transplantation to avoid inheritance to the next generation.
4. Risks and disputes of IVF NT technology
Although IVF NT technology is helpful to screen the genetic status of embryos and improve the success rate of transplantation, there are also some risks and disputes. The main points include:
1. Risk of detection error: Due to the limited number of embryonic cells, PGD test may produce errors, leading to wrong determination of genetic status.
2. Psychological pressure and ethical and moral issues: For couples, accepting IVF NT technology often requires psychological pressure, which also leads to discussion of ethical and moral issues.
3. Cost and accessibility: The cost of IVF NT technology is relatively high, and it is not easy to obtain in some regions.
summary
Test tube baby NT technology is a branch of in vitro fertilization embryo transfer technology. Through genetic diagnosis technology, it can screen chromosome abnormalities, single gene genetic diseases or some susceptible gene risks carried by embryos. It can help couples avoid the risk of transmitting family genetic diseases and improve the probability of successful pregnancy. However, this technology is also facing some risks and disputes, which requires in-depth research and evaluation in the field of medicine and ethics.
