In Vitro Fertilization

CHAPTER I

INTRODUCTION

A baby, who brings joy and happiness to the family, is truly a blessing. It symbolizes the fruit of love of every couple and strengthens the ties of their marriage. Unfortunately, there are some couples who are experiencing problems regarding bearing a baby because of infertility. Infertility is medically defined as the inability of a couple to become pregnant after one year of unprotected, regular intercourse. This problem was a big depression to all couples whom what all wanted is to have one happy family. Despite of the problem, the curiosity of human beings and the rapid growth of technology in our generation give rise to create an alternative solution for infertility called In Vitro Fertilization.

In Vitro Fertilization refers to the process of achieving fertilization between the sperm and ovum in the laboratory under artificial conditions, and placement of the dividing zygote into the uterus of the mother. Statistics show that more than 30,000 IVF babies are born in America each year. As of early 2013, around 5 million IVF babies have been already born worldwide and the number is growing pretty fast.

This technology was discovered in 1890s when Walter Heape, a professor and physician at the University of Cambridge, England, who had been conducting research on reproduction in a number of animal species, reported the first known case of embryo transplantation in rabbits, long before the applications to human fertility were even suggested. It has been successfully applied to human reproduction when the first test-tube baby, Louise Joy Brown was born on July 25, 1978 at Royal Oldham Hospital in Oldham, England. Three years after Brown’s birth, Elizabeth Jordan Carr, born on December 28, 1981 in Norfolk, Virginia, became America’s first test-tube baby. This practice becomes the widely known answer for infertility which answers the prayers of each couple who wanted to have a baby in the recent years but scientist cannot assure that all babies that were born became as normal as other kids.

Significance of the Study

The proposed study will become an effective tool in helping others that has a connection with In Vitro fertilization. To couples, this study will serve as a guide that will give them sufficient knowledge regarding In Vitro fertilization and it will give them hope that even though they cannot bear a child there is an alternative solution for it. To the readers, through this study they may gain valuable insights regarding In Vitro fertilization. To future researchers, this will serve as a reference in obtaining additional information that can provide them more facts as basis of their research study.

Objectives of the Study

This study aims to meet the following objectives: