Why in the News?
A same-sex couple have become the first in the United Kingdom to carry the same baby in both their wombs as part of a landmark “shared motherhood” procedure. Jasmine Francis-Smith gave birth to Otis, their son, two months ago, using an egg that was implanted using In Vivo Natural Fertilisation after it was first incubated by her wife, Donna. The treatment offered by the London Women’s Clinic involves one partner contributing and incubating the egg, while the other subsequently carries the foetus.
What is In Vivo Natural Fertilisation ?
For pregnancy to occur, an egg must be fertilized by a sperm. When fertilization happens inside the body, it is called “in vivo fertilization”. When fertilization happens outside of the body, it is called “in vitro fertilization”, or IVF.
IVF can help treat infertility in patients who have damaged fallopian tubes, male factor infertility, endometriosis, unexplained infertility or along with PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis).
How it became possible?
The AneVivo procedure, which was pioneered by Swiss technology company Anecova and carried out at the London Women’s Clinic, involved the eggs of the biological mother being placed inside a miniature capsule and inserted into her womb, where they were incubated.
After the incubation of the eggs, they were taken out of the first mother’s womb and placed into the womb of the gestational mother, who carried the baby to term.
