What is a Test Tube Baby?

A new human life is formed when an egg from a mother and a sperm from the father join together to form a new individual, and it implants on a receptive place to grow. If there is an impediment in any of these processes it becomes difficult to give rise to a new individual. This results in infertility. In order to get over these problems, the scientists have devised a method by which the eggs from the mother are taken out and the sperms from the father are taken out and the two are mixed in a test tube or Petri dish and a new embryo is formed. This embryo is introduced into the uterus of the mother and allowed to grow into a new individual. This procedure is called test tube baby or In Vitro Fertilization/ Embryo Transfer (IVF/ET).

In vitro fertilization or Test tube baby is an effective assisted reproductive technology to help women become pregnant. It involves fertilizing an egg, in a laboratory dish, and then implanting the embryo thus formed in a woman’s uterus.

In a normal pregnancy, a male sperm penetrates a woman’s egg and fertilizes it inside her body after ovulation. This happens when a mature egg has been released from the ovaries.

The fertilized egg then attaches itself to the wall of the uterus, or womb, and begins developing into a baby. This is known as natural conception.

However, if natural or unassisted conception is not possible, Then IVF is an option.

More than 8 million babies have been born by IVF since the world’s first in 1978 till July 3, 2018.

Louise Joy Brown was born on July 25, 1978. Her parents, Lesley and John Brown, had been trying to conceive for nine years, but could not because of blocked fallopian tubes.  Edwards was awarded the 2010 Nobel Prize in Medicine for in vitro fertilization/embryo transfer. Now Louise Brown is herself a grandmother with two normal grandchildren.

Louise Brown with her daughter and two grand children

Some facts about in-vitro fertilization (IVF)

• IVF can help achieve pregnancy when other treatments have failed.
• IVF involves fertilizing an egg outside the body and implanting it into the uterus to continue the pregnancy.
• The success rate of IVF at our clinic is 40-60% depending on the age of women.
• About two percent of children are born by IVF in the world.
• Higher chance of multiple births by IVF.

• DNA sequencing technology also helps doctors screen embryos created by IVF to increase the success rate.
• Many other modern-day technologies have helped to improve the success rate of IVF.

Who should undergo an IVF treatment?

As described above Test Tube Baby treatment procedure can be helpful to all infertile couples who are unable to conceive a baby through natural course. Male and female, both can take this treatment. It is required in different medical conditions, such as:

• For female: 

In 50 % cases the cause infertility lies with the female:

• Impaired Fallopian Tube function.
• Tubectomy cases
• Ovulation disorder.
• Premature ovarian failure.
• Fertility preservation due to cancer and other health conditions.
• Severe endometriosis.
• Uterine fibroids.
• Failed IUIs
• Pelvic infectious diseases (PID)
• PCOS
• Problems in ovaries / uterus.
• Hormonal Imbalance
• Advanced age.
• Unexplained infertility
• Genetic disorders.

For A Male

In 40 % cases the cause of infertility lies in the male:

• Having low sperm count, low motility.
• Impaired sperm function.
• Unexplained Infertility
• Other fertilization issues.

Sometimes the cause of infertility lies in both female and male.