The child from a test tube: 10 curious facts about EKO

On July 25, 1978, there was really historical event: in one of the British clinics at parents who unsuccessfully tried to conceive the child for nearly 10 years the healthy baby who was named Louise was born. She became the first child of in vitro, "from a test tube", and subject to close attention from journalists, peers and just casual people. Its emergence by much haunted, but became the beginning of grandiose break in medicine. The interesting facts and myths about EKO — extracorporal fertilization — in the material "Round the world".
The British became the first

Lesley and John Brown almost despaired, but nevertheless did not lose hope to become parents, despite verdicts of doctors. Once they got on reception to the gynecologist Patrick Steptou who at that time worked on EKO technology together with the physiologist Robert Edwards. Patrick explained to spouses: it is possible to try, but a technique experimental. He did not go into detail, at that time there was still no child who was born thus. Mr. and Mrs. Brown agreed.

It became soon clear that pregnancy occurred and proceeds normally. The experiment was carefully hidden, but information all the same filtered into tabloids while Lesley Brown she was still pregnant. Newsdealers besieged both family, and doctors, and in July, 1978 they literally round the clock were on duty near delivery room of clinic where the wonderful child had to be born.

The baby Louise was born by means of Cesarean section. Her childhood and youth were difficult because of constant inquiries and misunderstanding of people around about what she wrote in the autobiographical book. But gradually fixed interest came to naught, thousands of children conceived in the same way, as it began to be born. And in the family Louise became not the only WHAT CHILD. Several years later Lesley Brown came to the doctor to reception again and told that wants one more child. So Louise's sister — Natali was born.

For EKO gave the Nobel Prize.

The British Edwards and Steptou far gained not at once recognition, though fulfilled pipe dreams of millions of married couples. Their experiments long time were perceived in bayonets not only by authorities and priests, but even colleagues. It was necessary to be engaged in improvement of a technique of EKO in a partially secret situation, and in 2010 Robert Edwards was conferred the Nobel Prize for development of technology of artificial insemination. His colleague Steptou did not live up to this event — he died in the 1988th.

The way of conception does not affect health of the child

The children born from a test tube for health reasons a little in what differ from ordinary peers though, according to some researches, they have neurologic problems and problems with sight more often. It is impossible to exclude pathologies absolutely, as well as at natural pregnancy, but an embryo which place in a uterus cavity, it is previously carefully investigated and parents before the procedure undergo full inspection and are treated for infections if those are available. So in some parameters risks for such children are even lower.

The children born later EKO are not at all infertile as some think. Most often the indication for the procedure is the impassability of uterine tubes, and it is not hereditary and not congenital pathology. Louise Brown, the first "girl from a test tube", gave birth to absolutely healthy kid conceived in the natural way. Her younger sister Natali became a mother for several years earlier, and too without any problem.
EKO — it is difficult


It is impossible to call the EKO procedure harmless for health of future mother, but it also is not so awful, how some people think. The main difficulty — stimulation by hormonal medicines. Previously the woman undergoes full inspection. After reception of a shock dose of hormones under anesthesia take the ripened ova from it, and then extracorporal fertilization (Latin of extra — outside, out of and lat is made. corpus is a body). Contrary to ordinary opinion, it is carried out not in a test tube, and in a cup Understand. At last, an embryo (or embryos) are transferred to a uterus cavity. All process takes 10–15 days.

In the first attempt of EKO pregnancy occurs in 30–35% of cases though some private clinics promise also 45–50%. Concerning quantity of embryos approaches in various countries differ. For example, in Russia often transfer two embryos to increase chance that one will get accustomed at least. Twins at the same time are born in 10% of cases.

Germany adopted the special law in protection of embryos: for one cycle it is possible to impregnate no more than three ova, and all embryos need to be transferred to a uterus. And in Sweden it is allowed to impregnate 5–6 ova at once, but to transfer only one, and the others are exposed to cryofreezing. It reduces many risks characteristic of polycarpous pregnancy.

Mothers of "children from a test tube" set up records

More often women at the age of 35–40 years resort to EKO, but also exceptional cases when to mothers was for 60 and even for 70 are known to science, and desire to have children was so big that doctors agreed to similar risks. In particular, such cases took place in Spain and India. As for the number of attempts, common sense has to join here, but at some especially persistent couples they are estimated in tens. In Russia on compulsory health insurance two attempts are free of charge available.

To choose the boy or the girl it will not turn out


There is a myth that at EKO it is possible to program a sex of the child, but it not so. It is forbidden to use at selection of embryos "sexual" sign around the world. Nevertheless there are exclusive situations when it is necessary to do it after all, but only when there is a family genetic disease transmitted either on women's, or in the male line.

The number of WHAT CHILDREN grows in a geometrical progression


Extracorporal fertilization is put on a stream today. In 1990 in the world there were no more than 20,000 children born by means of this technology. In the 2012th — already more than 5 million, and now — more than 8 million. Every year they become on average 2 million more. In the five of the leading countries by the number of procedures — Spain, Russia, Germany, France and Great Britain.

EKO strengthens marriage
Statistically, the families which passed through EKO break up much less often: spouses are rallied by the long-awaited joy of finding of the child and the emotional connection with parents at such children is very strong because they very much wanted the kid.

Other question that for the child disclosure of a mystery of its birth can be a powerful psychological trauma, especially if people around also learn about it. There is even an international community of "probirochny" children for mutual aid and any overcoming mental consequences from "shock" news. The founder of one of such groups Bill Kordroy explained essence of the problem tormenting them so: "... this feeling tormenting soul — the nobility that you began not in the heat of love passion under favor of the darkness, and in a cold test tube, on the conveyor, created at all is in the public eye indifferent hands".

The moral aspect is still not solved

It is more difficult than all relationship between supporters of EKO and representatives of different religions. Many consider that it is impossible to interfere with a sacrament of creation of life. Certain people long time attributed to children from a test tube nearly demonic properties and lack of soul. Their opponents claim that priests do not protest against treatment for infertility including quick. Anyway, to children who were born by means of reproductive technologies it cannot be refused a baptism and further church life.

Subject of hot discussions remains the fate of "unnecessary" embryos which do not sit down to the woman therefore today the necessary, but not excess number of the impregnated ova "is even more often made" that, though reduces chances of pregnancy a little, but allows to bypass ethical difficulties.