 |
| The AneVivo device |
The new
device will enable fertilization in the womb.
Conventional
in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment involves removing eggs from the ovaries,
fertilizing them with sperm in a laboratory, selecting embryos and returning
them to the womb to continue the treatment process.
Previous
studies have suggested that babies born as a result of IVF treatment have a
lower birth weight. While not a problem in itself, low birth weight has been
linked to long-term health, which researchers are keen to improve.
Prof.
Nick Macklon, of the Princess Anne Hospital in Southampton, UK, believes
long-term health in babies born through IVF could be improved by spending a
shorter time in the laboratory. He was involved with the development of the new
device, which is called AneVivo.
The
technique involves putting egg and sperm cells inside a tiny capsule, which is
then placed painlessly into the womb for 24 hours. During this time, embryos
begin to develop.
Doctors
then remove the device, which is around 1 cm long and 1 mm wide. After 2-4
days, they select the embryos that are healthy enough to be implanted back into
the lining of the womb, in the hope of achieving a pregnancy.
Fertilization
in the natural environment
Prof.
Macklon believes that the device signals "a real breakthrough in IVF
treatment," as it enables women to care for an embryo in its earliest
stages of development for the first time.
Psychologically,
it brings parents-to-be closer to the fertilization process and early embryo
development. It could provide health benefits for the baby, as fertilization
will occur in the natural environment of the womb with access to nutrients and
signals from the mother. It will also reduce exposure to the synthetic culture
fluids used in the laboratory.
Prof
Macklon, who is also chair in obstetrics and gynaecology at the University of
Southampton, says:
"This
is a very significant moment in the advancement of fertility treatment in the
UK, and we are all extremely excited to be able to offer patients the option of
a more natural fertilization process."
Martin
Velasco of Anecova, the company that manufactures the device, says that it will
allow free passage of fluids, nutrients, endometrial cells and other cellular
and non-cellular components to enable interaction between the embryos and the
maternal environment.
The
AneVivo device was approved by the Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority
(HFEA) in September 2015.
