Thursday, November 4, 2010

First babies due for new IVF system



Three British women are due to give birth before Christmas after helping to pioneer a new IVF technique described as the ultimate screening test

Three British women in their late 30s are due to give birth before Christmas after helping to pioneer a new IVF technique described as the “ultimate screening test”.

Theirs are the first successful pregnancies in Europe to be achieved as a result of the procedure, which looks for abnormalities in cells taken from tiny five-day-old embryos.

Blastocyst Chromosome Screening (BCS) can spot chromosomal mistakes in outwardly normal-looking embryos that may prevent pregnancies or lead to miscarriages.

Evidence from the United States suggests the procedure can boost the chances of a viable pregnancy after In-Vitro Fertilisation from around 35% to 75%.

The women are taking part in a year-long trial conducted by fertility specialist CARE at its Manchester clinic.

All three are aged between 37 and 40 and have a history of failed IVF.

BCS involves extracting up to 10 cells from a specific part of the blastocyst, a micro-sized embryo no larger than a pinhead, using state-of-the-art technology.

The cells are then analysed to check all their chromosomes – the cell structures that package DNA – for major abnormalities.

Only embryos that pass the test are implanted into a patient’s womb.

A unique feature of the process is that it can tell whether the mother or father has passed on an abnormality.

Monday, November 1, 2010

Old and Naughty British Postcards

Those were the days. Just good old saucy fun! Where have all the postcards gone.....