Chapter 2Assisted Reproductive Technology

Life Science:Jonathan Klinger, Zylberberg,Patarkatsi,

AshlynLaveson, TalyaFischbach

In This Presentation We Will Cover…

• The male and female reproductive systems

• Problems with infertility and its causes

• 3 elements of successful conception

• 3 methods of ART

2.1 Where and how are sperm and eggs made?

• Sperm and androgens (testosterone) are produced in the testes

• Eggs and estrogen are produced in the ovaries

• The gametes (sperm and egg) are both created by a form of cell division called meiosis.

2.2 What organs make up the male reproductive system?

2.3 What organs make up the female reproductive system?

Is infertility a common problem

• Infertility is common in 1 in 6 couples

• As couples grow older infertility problems increase due mostly to advancing maternal age.

• 40%- male factor

• 40%- female factor

• 20%- unexplained

3 elements needed for successful conception

• Sperm and egg must be produced and healthy

• Sperm and egg must interact to accomplish fertilization

• Embryo needs a place to grow

• *If one or more of these components is missing or not functioning properly infertility may result*

What are the causes of infertility in woman?

• The egg

• Fallopian tube

• Uterus

3 things needed for a woman to conceive are…

What are the causes of infertility in men?

What is ART?

• “Is the application of laboratory or clinical technology to gametes (human egg or sperm) and/or embryos for the purposes of reproduction”

• We see that infertility is a common problem

• ART is necessary for men and woman who are having fertility problems

• ART assists so many men and woman reproduce

3 methods used in assisted reproductive technology are…

Donation of gametes

• Before the donation of eggs or sperm doctors may try to inject the woman with estrogen or the man with testosterone to help produce eggs or sperm

• If the couple’s infertility problem persists, they can look to use a sperm or egg donor

• Sperm is provided by known or unknown donors and may either be used immediately or frozen in a cryotank filled with liquid nitrogen -180 degrees Celsius

• Couples can pick the traits they want in a donor

• Eggs cannot be frozen for a long period of time.

• In this procedure sperm is placed in a woman’s uterus at ovulation and if fertilized pregnancy may occur. A donated egg is usually fertilized with the males sperm in IVF.

Surrogacy

• Egg donor surrogacy

• The surrogates egg is fertilized by artificial insemination (IVF) using the sperm of the infertile couples male partner

• The surrogate carries the embryo to term

•Gestational surrogacy•The surrogate carries the embryo to term but the sperm and egg are from the couple

Advancements in ART methods

• Intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI)- used to inject a single sperm into egg

• Egg freezing has now been improved

• Ovaries can be transplanted from one woman to another

• Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD)-Choosing an embryo without a genetic disorder that a parent may have

• Transfer of gametes or zygotes directly into the fallopian tube to increase the chance of fertilization (GIFT and ZIFT)

Problems, legal, and ethical issues associated with ART

• During IVF some woman hyper ovulate and produce many more eggs than expected. This is painful and dangerous

• After IVF the number of embryos implanted can vary. This results in multiple births. This could be dangerous to the mother or baby.

• What should be done with frozen embryos no one wants?

CASE A• Brian and Laura have been married 10 years and at first did

not think about having kids

• Once Laura’s sister became pregnant they realized they wanted to have a child

• After trying for a year to conceive they had complications in getting pregnant

• Brian wanted to adopt a child

• Laura wanted a genetically related child

Questions for case A• What tests should Dr. Franco perform on Brian and Laura?

• What do you think Brian and Laura should do and why?

• Give some reasons why Brian and Laura should use ART?

• What are some reasons to adopt instead of ART.

• Give some reasons why art has become so important in the last 10 years.

CASE B• Jan Moppet wanted a child but never found found a man whom

she wanted to have a child with.

• At age 35, he doctor told her she should seriously think about having a child soon.

• Her doctor suggested she should have artificial insemination using sperm from a sperm bank.

• She ended up doing this, and had a child.

• She is now thinking about what the future may hold for her and her child.

Questions for Case B• Should Jen have chosen certain characteristics in picking her

sperm donor?

• Should Jen tell Alex about her father being a sperm donor?

• When Alex reaches age 18 should she be allowed to find her father?

• If you were the sperm donor list some reasons why you would not want the child to find you.