40 years ago the first test-tube baby was born. Wolfgang dice, a Professor of gynecology and co-founder of the desire to have children-center in Munich, still many open questions, which may provide the reproductive medicine.
Forty years ago, on 25. In July 1978, was born, the British woman Louise Joy Brown – the first person who was conceived through artificial insemination. Almost four years later, this breakthrough in reproductive medicine was achieved in Germany. Until today, it is estimated fathered five million babies in this way. What has changed since Louise Brown in reproductive medicine?
Deutsche Welle: Alone in 2016, with the treatments in Germany, more than a hundred thousand. Why is the number of artificial inseminations has increased so rapidly?
Wolfgang dice: this demand has so increased, that has to do with two things: firstly, the sensitivity is very grown. The population knows that there is such a thing as a reproductive issue at all. Which was formerly concealed. And the Second is that the techniques of reproductive medicine and Knowledge have increased incredibly, and thus the possibility of the pairs in a wide variety of causes help.
How have the chances to become pregnant, developed since 1982 in Germany, the first child through artificial insemination was born?
So the chances to be with the techniques of reproductive medicine to get pregnant, have improved. This of course depends also a bit on the age of the patients, but they say on average that a Couple that has gone through three cycles of artificial insemination may expect a pregnancy rate of 60 to 65 percent.
There are Attempts to optimize pregnancy rate?
This point is tricky, because the limit of what can make the reproductive medicine, is the ability of a single embryo to implant and to lead to a pregnancy. We know today that many embryos are conceived and also the way to go, the genetic abnormalities are seen, not with a pregnancy at all. Example: A 40-year-old patient has an average of 60 percent of the embryos, genetically striking a 45-year-old, for example, 90 percent and more. There is the question, should we test this? Does it make any sense to transfer such eggs? The answer is: of course It makes no sense genetically to the transfer of eye-catching eggs. The failures are, to some extent, inevitable.
40 years ago the world’s first test-tube baby: Louise Brown (may 2018)
You do everything that is technically feasible, where the imposed limits?
There are many court decisions in this area, because Germany has in Europe as a single country, not a reproductive medicine law, and a comprehensive settlement far away. Real borders exist only in two areas: one is the egg donation. The women go for a foreign ovum abroad. This is prohibited by law, and, of course, the lend-maternity. All other options are possible in Germany. Amazingly, the embryo donation and, of course, the genetic testing of oocytes manner, if in a certain legal framework. The result of this is that the German reproductive medicine is in the international comparison, only average, but rather above. In contrast to what is always claimed.
Where is it ethically just?
Artificial insemination is a key technology, where you can get access to eggs, sperm and early embryos. Thus, it is of course possible in principle, and also conceivable that the pathways intervention in the Germ, in the genetics. That would be a genetic manipulation of eggs, sperm, or early in the ova. I personally think is a very questionable procedure. First, because we don’t know what we’re doing. No man has experience. It is an Experiment on life, which I think is absolutely borderline. Even if it would be possible.
What is the future of reproductive medicine?
One of the biggest problems, and this is completely unresolved, is the desire to have children the older woman. Older means over 40. The eggs are always as old as the woman herself, plus six months. So you come from the third embryonic month. The ova will determine, ultimately, the vitality of the action. Not the sperm. Therefore, 90 to 95 per cent, of the Fertilizing due to tourism abroad for egg donation. And I’m pretty sure that no one was going abroad to an egg donation, if the with own eggs would be possible. Here, at this point, a very large clarification is needed, and research needs.
The second area is that the reproductive medicine, in Lifestyle ventures areas and the socio-aims to implement political, and cultural-political ideas. I want to Express myself clearly. If we have decided that there is a marriage for all, then that means in plain text, we have decided, that, all, have, whatever the constellation, the right to start a family. This is also true for homosexual men. Then the step to become a surrogate is not far off. Because there is no other way. And this is the example you can see that the reproduction is exploited in some way.
Wolfgang dice is a Professor of gynecology and co-founder of the desire to have children-center in Munich.
The Interview was conducted by Christina Küfner.