In Vitro Maturation (IVM)
The 15-minute IVF treatment.
Professor Winston of Hammersmith Hospital, London remarked some years ago of the possibility of the 15 minute IVF Treatment
This idea moved a step forward recently by the latest research in IVM.
He described a technique that, after an ovarian biopsy at the IVF clinic the sample could be cultured to maturity in a petri dish.
“Ovulation” could then occur in the laboratory, fertilization shortly afterwards and the embryos transfer a few days later. Avoiding tiresome hormone injections and ultrasound scans.
In Vitro Maturation.
In Vitro Maturation (IVM) is proving promising new technology in assisted reproduction.
It could be an alternative to conventional In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) in which the women is required to undergo hormone treatment before the egg collection. In IVM the hormone treatment of the women is eliminated or minimised and the eggs are matured in vitro
The subsequent insemination and fertilisation takes place in vitro as in conventional ART procedures. IVM requires the attendance of the woman undergoing treatment for about one week only, with little or no impact on the daily lifestyle. Side effects that may be associated with undergoing hormonal stimulation, is eliminated, as in-vivo hormonal treatment is obsolete.
The scientific progress and the continuous advances in clinical practice at the IVM centres in Denmark have resulted in 63 healthy babies born and 20 ongoing pregnancies by the end of June 2003. The average birth weight of the babies is within the range of the Danish national average. 33 % of the IVM children in the study are now more than 2,5 years old and they are all developing as normal.
