& nbsp ; At 10 a.m. on February 2, the shrill cries of a newborn baby rang out from the Changchun Maternity and Infant Hospital, prompting jubilation inside and outside the operating room: the first "test-tube twin babies" in our province were born, and they were a pair of twin girls! On the 3rd, after the report was published in our newspaper, it resonated with the readers. "My relatives have been married for many years but haven't had children. Due to face-saving issues, neither of them has gone to the hospital for specific examinations. If they are suitable for test-tube babies, what are the chances of success? What are the risks? What preparations do the couple need to make?" "What exactly are 'test-tube babies'? Would the cost of this surgery be very high?" These and other questions sparked immense curiosity among the readers. Yesterday, reporters conducted interviews regarding "test-tube babies" and related issues.
The younger the mother's age, the higher the success rate of conception.
Twins can be born, but not multiple births.
Test-tube baby technology cannot influence the gender of the child.
Additionally, according to outpatient statistics at the Changchun Maternity and Infant Hospital, since 2004, there has been a yearly increase in infertility cases among people aged 25-40 who have been married for many years and have undergone abortions. The number of patients requesting in vitro fertilization (IVF) - embryo transfer surgeries is also increasing. In 2005, Wen Taofei went to Shenyang, Dalian, Jiangsu, Hunan, and other places to study assisted reproductive technologies and maintained long-term exchanges with the Florida Reproductive Center and New York Reproductive Center in the United States. In April 2008, the artificial insemination technology at the Changchun Maternity and Infant Hospital was approved by the Jilin Provincial Health Department. In March 2009, experts from the national health administration department reviewed and approved the IVF - embryo transfer technology at the Changchun Maternity and Infant Hospital. To date, the hospital has implemented IVF technology in 45 patients, with 15 successful cases, two of which are twins.
"Would the cost of using IVF technology be very high?" Regarding this, Wen Taofei said that the costs from preparing for IVF to knowing whether one is pregnant would be approximately 25,000 RMB (even if conception isn't successful, the fees still need to be paid normally), although different ovulation drugs and fertilization methods may cause variations in cost.
What kind of preparation should be made before undergoing IVF? What precautions should be taken? Wen Taofei stated that sperm and eggs are only combined in the test tube for three days. IVF does not require hospitalization; the entire process takes place in the outpatient clinic. However, after the embryo is transplanted back into the mother's body, the mother must undergo luteal support for three months to maintain the pregnancy, after which the process is the same as natural pregnancy.
It is understood that many young people marry early but delay having children, which is also one of the reasons leading to infertility. Wen Taofei said that IVF technology can basically solve clinical infertility problems, but it is not suitable for every infertile couple. Relevant regulations issued by China's Ministry of Health have set standard requirements and indications for mastering IVF technology: the female's age generally does not exceed 40 years old, and the male's does not exceed 55 years old. Both husband and wife must be healthy, without acute or chronic diseases unsuitable for pregnancy, genetic diseases, mental illnesses, or sexually transmitted diseases.
During the investigation, reporters learned that some people currently wish to use "IVF" technology to satisfy their desire for a boy or multiple births. Some readers are also concerned about whether the appearance, intelligence, and personality of IVF babies will be the same as normal children. "The gender of the child cannot be determined; this is all random and decided by both parents. The child's personality and gender come from the genetic traits of both parents and will be the same as naturally conceived children," Wen Taofei explained. To apply "IVF" technology, strict hospital checks must be passed, meaning it can only be performed if medical and legal regulations are met.
Even if conception is not successful, the fees should still be paid normally. There have been 45 implementations with 15 successes. If you want an IVF baby, these are the details you need to pay attention to.
Wen Taofei mentioned that the proportion of infertility among married individuals has already reached 10%-15%, and this proportion continues to rise. Reporters learned at the maternity hospital that some women who don’t protect themselves well and frequently undergo abortions are an important reason for the rising proportion. If the number of abortions increases, it could lead to thinning of the uterine lining (scraping the uterus during abortion), making miscarriages more likely. Additionally, besides affecting the uterus, abortions can cause infections, leading to blocked fallopian tubes, often resulting in women becoming unable to conceive after just one abortion. Wen Taofei indicated that if women do not want children, they should take contraceptive measures and pay attention to daily physiological hygiene.
IVF technology mainly suits cases such as female fallopian tube factors like blockages, ovulation disorders, endometriosis, unexplained infertility, severe male oligoasthenozoospermia, teratozoospermia causing infertility, etc. If medication and surgery cannot cure these conditions, "IVF" technology can be adopted. However, IVF is not omnipotent. If both partners are infertile, doctors will analyze the reasons, make a clear diagnosis, and try to help patients conceive naturally through simple methods without needing any assistance. If that doesn't work, doctors will consider "artificial insemination." If that also fails, doctors will resort to "IVF" technology, tailoring personalized plans for each patient. Wen Taofei explained that if the mother is under 35 years old, the success rate of IVF conception is between 30%-40%; if over 35, the success rate can still reach above 30%.
Wen Taofei said that apart from the embryos transferred, if the remaining embryos are worth freezing, the hospital will use a programmed freezing instrument to freeze them for future use.
In recent years, due to environmental pollution, bad living habits, faster life rhythms, and increased mental stress, the number of infertile couples has started to increase. According to surveys, many people do not want children before the age of 30 because they are busy with work, but when they decide to have children after the age of 35, they find it difficult to conceive. According to Wen Taofei, director of the Reproductive Medicine Center at Changchun Maternity and Infant Hospital, usually, the pregnancy rate for women over 35 decreases, the miscarriage rate increases, and the fetal malformation rate also rises. After the age of 40, the conception rate drops to only 5%-10%. Therefore, the optimal age for women to conceive is between 25 and 30.
There are age requirements: women should not be older than 40, and men should not be older than 55.
"Test-tube baby" technology involves removing the egg and sperm from a couple and fertilizing them outside the body (in an incubator), then developing them into embryos before transplanting them back into the mother's uterus. "Such concerns from patients are unnecessary. Hospitals have rules for those undergoing 'test-tube baby' assisted reproduction, meaning the patient must be able to produce sperm themselves, and both parties must present marriage certificates ensuring that the extracted sperm and eggs belong to the couple. The infant's genetic material comes from the parents, and the birth defect rate and intelligence level depend on the parents. Moreover, to prevent errors, hospitals adopt a strict dual-check system where every step involves at least two medical staff members verifying."
Many readers on the phone said they did not fully understand what test-tube babies entailed, leading to vague perceptions.
At the same time, Wen Taofei pointed out that applying "test-tube baby" assisted reproductive technology raises many ethical, sociological, psychological, and genetic issues, as well as social morality, legal, and privacy concerns, which must be strictly adhered to. From a technical standpoint, the incidence of multiple births through "test-tube baby" technology is higher than natural pregnancies. Wen Taofei said that according to Ministry of Health regulations, patients under 35 can have up to two embryos implanted during their first attempt at "test-tube baby" technology, while those over 35 can have up to three embryos implanted. This regulation aims to improve the success rate of "test-tube baby" technology. If all three embryos survive, one must be terminated, allowing for a maximum of twins, as artificially induced multiple births are detrimental to maternal and infant health. Multiple births can easily lead to miscarriages, premature births, congenital developmental deficiencies in infants, and more obstetric complications for mothers.
Article source: www.ynbb.net