Good afternoon.
In Parliament we are discussing the law on The Protection of Embryos . It is actually a law to regulate Invitro Fertilisation (IVF) which is a procedure were a sperm from the male is mixed with an ovum(egg) from a female in a glass dish ( invitro means in a glass ) . The sperm fertilises the ovum ( the sperm actually enters the ovum ,half of the genetic material from the sperm is mixed with the half of the genetic material of the ovum and a new full set of a unique genetic chromosome material is created ) and a new individual, the Embryo is created .In reality this is a beautiful, complex step by step procedure to reach this final stage involving complex biochemical reactions which we still do not fully understand .Invitro fertilisation involves using i micro pipette to insert part of the genetic material of the sperm into the ovum .(not as easy as it sounds)
A couple comes in front of me .The wife has tears in her eyes because she has been going to the gynaecologist who has now told her that she needs another test . Her husband has a low sperm count and she has had blood tests ,a laparscopy ( minor surgical operation where a tube like telescope is inserted via her umbilicus .This enables the gynaecologist to actually view the inside of her pelvis and view the ovaries) . Now she has to undergo a procedure where a special dye is used to visualise the inside of her uterus and tubes and therefore make sure that the whole reproductive system is patent and not blocked . All these procedures entailed appointments for consultations ,appointments for results ,further appointments for further procedures and other appointments for results . Yet ,there is still no discussion or decsion on whether this couple can undergo IVF , she has not been told yet that the couple might need hormonal injections to strengthen the paternal sperm which might result in pregnancy by itself , she has not been told that she might need injections herself to increase the number of eggs produced by the ovary , she has not been told that this will be followed by a minor procedure to harvest the eggs and finally if all is successful the resulting embryo will be implanted . All this might take months .All this will have 35% success rate .
I mentioned this, to descibe the agony ,frustration ,the psychological trauma a couple has to endure. While in front of me ,the husband implores me to tell his wife to stop thinking continuously on this ,day in day out .It is as if her whole life depends on getting pregnant . This is the plight these couples are passing through . Without IVF and related procedures her life would have been destructed .
So why do we need a law to regulate a medical procedure ? The reason is that an embryo is formed form IVF .A human being . "little Michael " or"little Anne". Can we let ten "little michaels" and "little annes" be formed and discard ,kill,throw away eight of these so that only the chosen two are implanted ? What if it was yourself one of the eight ? you cannot protest. You cannot defend yourself . You cannot fight back for your survival . This law will protect each and every embryo formed . It limits the number to two. It will give a chance to each and every embryo to be implanted and gives each embryo a chance for natural survival .
There are problems with the procedure of IVF . During my 30 years as a GP i have know of one death from hyperstimualtion of the ovary and 2 cases ending up in ITU because of this .It was in the early years of its introduction in Malta ,now with more modern techniques and better medication these are non existent but still the procedure has its own risk .This law stipulates that only registered professionals and health care providers can offer this service .This is the proper way to do things .
You will be hearing the words " oocyte vitrification" . The problem with couples undergoing IVF is that the success rate is 35% . Other countries use the same procedures but the embryos produced are frozen so that the female does not have to go through the process of obtaining eggs with all the risks and the uncomfortable procedures involved .If the initial implantation is not successfully , frozen embryos are " heated up" and used . The problem is what to do with the rest of the frozen embryos .There are millions of frozen embryos around the world waiting to be discarded .
Oocyte vitrification is a pretty new process whereby the eggs obtained from the female are frozen and when they are needed they are gradually heated up and used for fertilisation and embryo formation . This avoids all ethical problems of embryo freezing .It also avoids females from undergoing repeated painful risky procedures in order to obtain eggs .Oocyte vitrification requires a big investment since it needs areas and apparatus to store the eggs and it need specialised equipment to "re-heat" the eggs .
IVF has been a medical breakthrough .It has helped infertile couples to become pregnant and start a family with children .It is not without its own ethical and moral difficulties .The children delivered through IVF always remind me of the sacrifices ,the tears ,the despair the parents had to pass through to enable these kids to be with us today .
I will be discussing the pro and cons of the Law as it is being discussed in Parliament in a another blog .
Michael
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