Religion and Fertility Treatment

1. Religion and Fertility Treatment

2. The choice to have children • People can now enjoy a full sex life without necessarily becoming pregnant. • Couples can limit the size of their families • Contraception is freely available • The morning after pill can be taken • Abortion may be an option

3. The other side of the story • It used to be that people who had trouble in conceiving just had to live with being childless. • Some saw it as God’s will • Now science and technology offers more options • Many infertile couples are now able to have children

4. Difficulties in conceiving affect 10% of couples Modern medical techniques allow these problems to be overcome Some of the techniques raise ethical problems

5. IVF – ‘Test-tube babies’ • The very first ‘Test-tube baby’ was born in 1977. She is Louise Brown • In Vitro Fertilisation literally means ‘in glass’ • An egg from Lesley Brown was fertilised with her husband’s sperm in a test tube. • This overcame the problem of her blocked fallopian tubes • After 2 days, the tiny embryo was implanted into her uterus

6. Different types of Fertility Treatment • In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) • “test-tube baby” • Eggs fertilised outside mother’s body, then placed back inside • Woman’s eggs and man’s sperm both used

7. The story was huge • It gave hope to many couples

8. Different types of Fertility treatment • 2. Artificial Insemination by donor (AID) • Donated sperm placed in the womb • Donor is father, Woman’s eggs used • Ethical Dilemma?

9. Different Types of Fertility Treatment • 3. Artificial Insemination by Husband (AIH) • Medical problem stopping conception • Woman’s eggs, man’s sperm both used

10. Different Types of Fertility Treatment • 4. Egg or sperm storing • Can be used in the future if something happens to one of the partners • The case of Diane Blood

11. IVF today • It’s now quite commonplace, though success rates are still quite low – only one in four. • Many couples have to undergo several rounds of treatment • These days, it is common for several eggs to be fertilised at once, and more than one to be implanted, in the hope of a greater chance of success.

12. In your jotter • Write a summary of how the choice to have children or not has changed • Briefly explain why Louise Brown’s birth was so important

13. Why do researchers want to use embryo’s? • Embryos contain special cells called stem cells. • These are the master cells that have the potential to into any other type of cell. • For example: nerve tissue, blood, heart muscle and even brain cells.

14. How can these stem cells be used? • They could eventually provide doctors with a ready supply of replacement tissue. • They could help repair the damage caused by degenerative diseases like heart disease and Parkinson’s disease. • They could also help regenerate damaged nerve cells in the spinal column, allowing someone who has been paralysed to gain mobility again.

15. What is embryonic screening? • Embyros that are created in a test tube through IVF treatment can be tested before being implanted into the mothers womb. • Preimplantation Genetic Diagnosis (PGD) is already used to help parent’s with a family history of serious conditions to avoid passing on the faulty gene on to their children.

16. Examples of genetic diseases that embryos can be screened for: • Heamophillia • Cystic Fybrosis • Huntingdon’s Disease

17. Should embryo screening be allowed in cases where a genetic disease is not being tested for?

18. TASK 2 • Do you think that scientists should be allowed to do research on ‘spare’ embryo’s? • Write down onereason why this research might be a good thing. • Why might some people be against the use of embryo’s for research?