Frozen embryos versus fresh embryos in IVF
An article published in ScienceDaily.com (September 10, 2015) described the latest finding regarding the frozen human embryos used in IVF. The source of this article information was a research content provided by University of New South Wales that claimed the use of frozen and thawed embryos in IVF cycles delivered the similar rate of success as shown by fresh embryo transfer and implantation. The article also cited the information from the main report that exhibited success stats for frozen embryos had been 39% in 2009 that promoted to 45% in 2013. Another article published on ScienceDaily.com stated that the children born through using frozen embryos are born with heavy weight and larger sizes ("Frozen Embryo Transfer Leads To Larger And Heavier Babies").
The first article described that a new rapid freezing technique of embryos known as vitrification reduced the neonatal mortality rates as well as multiple delivery risks that resulted in a higher extent of successful deliveries ("Frozen Embryos As Successful As Fresh Embryos In IVF").
Another article from Science Daily published in 2011 cited two case studies claiming that children born from frozen embryos are prone to be heavier and larger that may be due to the hormonal hyperstimulation during the cycles. The risk of heavyweight babies from frozen embryos was 1.6 times more in comparison of the IVF babies born from a fresh embryo. The article cites Dr. Pinborg saying that the epigenetic reprogramming conducted during the freezing and thawing process may generate Large Offspring Syndrome in these babies at early development stages ("Frozen Embryo Transfer Leads To Larger And Heavier Babies").
IVF technology is still under scrutiny and many consider it as an ethical issue. Developing a baby in an artificial medium and transferring it in a mother’s womb is still a taboo in society. Though through a lot of awareness and education people have accepted it, it still requires more systematic awareness programs to make people aware of its benefits, myths and risks.
In my view, I support IVF as it fulfills the desires of various people and helps them to become the parent. The major issue is the side effect related to frozen embryos that several experts say are due to the epigenetic programming during the freezing process (“Frozen Embryo Transfer Leads To Larger And Heavier Babies”).
Works cited
"Frozen Embryos As Successful As Fresh Embryos In IVF: 25 Percent Increase In Successful
IVF Births Using Frozen Embryos Over Five Years". ScienceDaily. N.p., 2016. Web. 11
"Frozen Embryo Transfer Leads To Larger And Heavier Babies". ScienceDaily. N.p., 2016.
Web. 11 May 2016.
