Reproductive Medicine Create a child's desire to eat in ice

Reproductive Medicine: On ice laid desire for children and egg tourism

06/28/2014

For many women it is often difficult to reconcile family, job and career. For them, frozen oocytes seem to be the perfect solution. Some also travel secretly abroad to get late happiness. But ethics experts are appalled.

First baby born in the retort more than 35 years ago
When little Louise Brown saw the light of day in British Oldham on July 25, 1978, this was a sensation, fueling hopes of countless couples with a strong desire to have children. Louise was the first baby born in the retort in the world. Her parents had waited in vain for nine years before embarking on the experiment of medical pioneer Robert Edwards. The scientist first assembled a human egg and a sperm cell in the Petri dish. Meanwhile, it is medical everyday life, which sparked ambivalent feelings about 35 years ago and often triggered criticism. Since then, around six million babies have been born worldwide. In Germany, the first test tube baby, little Oliver, was born on 16 April 1982, the light of day. At that time the first artificial insemination in this country was carried out in the Erlanger gynecological clinic under the direction of Professor Siegfried Trotnow after the procedure of the in-vitro fertilization (IVF).

Egg donation prohibited in Germany remains the topic
Starting tomorrow, Sunday through Wednesday, around 9,000 experts will meet at the Annual Congress of the European Society for Reproductive Medicine and Embryology (ESHRE), founded in 1985 by Edwards, in Munich. A hot topic remains the banned egg donation in Germany. The journey abroad remains the only chance for a child for some women. But doctors who help them are in this country in the sights of the judiciary. Thus, in Augsburg alone proceedings against 18 accused and in other cities, it is said to have given penalties against doctors according to media reports.

Two of a hundred children in the test tube fertilized
Fertilization in the test tube is allowed. According to the German IVF register, almost 48,000 patients were treated in 2012 and there were more than 10,000 births. About two out of a hundred children are so conceived in this country. According to data from the ESHRE in 2009, Denmark and Slovenia were the leaders with 4.5 percent. But those who are too late, the in-vitro fertilization uses limited. „It can be said that on average the chance of a pregnancy at 41, 42 years is 15 percent“, said Ulrich Hilland, chairman of the Federal Association of Reproductive Medicine Centers in Germany, according to a dpa report. At 44, she is already below eight percent. Here many give up. Well 3,000 euros cost a try; often five-digit sums are invested. There are also health risks. „We also see the risks that increase with pregnancy from 40“, explained the chairman of the German Society for Reproductive Medicine, Tina Buchholz.

Sperm donation tax deductible in Germany
Nevertheless, the practices are full and the competition is sharp. In addition, reports of women aged 45, 47 or over 50, such as Italian singer Gianna Nannini, are fueling misconceptions and bringing customers. However, hardly anyone talks about the fact that most of the over 45 are probably not genetically the mothers of their children, at least not in Germany. Egg donation is prohibited; However, the sperm donation is even tax deductible according to the Federal Finance Court of 2011. This situation causes many to secretly travel to countries where other legal bases prevail. Germans travel to the Czech Republic and Spain and also Belgium, Holland, France and Great Britain allow the donation, with different specifications. Depending on the country, children are not allowed to know their genetic origin.

Preliminary investigation against reproductive medicine
When physicians help their patients in the preparatory phase with ultrasound, for example, they face punishment in Germany. Likewise counselors who recommend latches. The egg donation aid is punishable under the Embryo Protection Act. According to the Bayerischer Rundfunk, several investigations are under way, in which reproductive doctors are suspected of having made such aid. Many doctors are demanding a change in the law. Hilland says the ban is outdated. And Ralf Dittrich, head of the IVF laboratory at the University of Erlangen, is also in favor of egg donation in Germany: „I see no reason why you should not do this.“

Embryo donation for couples
The managing director of the professional association reproductive medicine Bavaria and initiator of the network embryo donation, Hans-Peter Eiden considers the prohibition of the egg donation on the other hand correct and warns against possible commercialism. The elaborate egg removal would take no woman for altruistischen reasons on itself. „Nobody can tell me that an egg donation would work for nothing“, so oaths. „This is not about the patients, but about commerce.“ And that in turn violates the Transplantation Act. „One should not commercialize tissue.“ According to this argument, some sperm donations could be scarce due to illegality. Meanwhile, Eiden wants to pave the way for couples to donate embryos. You should get the fertilized egg cell from a foreign couple who no longer needs it.

Social freezing as a new trend
The views of the doctors and lawyers on the legal situation go up to the dispute. Therefore, many physicians prefer to be silent about when they freeze cells: whether as pronuclei before the complete fusion of egg and sperm cell or as an embryo. Practitioners do not see much difference - ethicists, on the other hand. Social trend has also spread as a new trend. At an early age, around mid-20, unfertilised egg cells are frozen and the desire to have children is put on hold for the first time. Although this may seem like the solution to perfect family planning, accurate values ​​of how good the cells are after 20 years are missing. Hilland said that society often overlooked the fact that the age of 25 was the best time to have children. „It is the courage that is missing. While studying a child is not the worst. That's what you get, you're still young.“ (Ad)