HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

 THE LABORATORY BABY OR TEST-TUBE BABY ::

Many a times in some cases there is a blackade in the fallopian tube and the fertilization of the ovum does not occur leaving the couple childless creating a life outside the womb by tampering with nature s birthing process has been a miracle in 1978 patric steptoe announced the birth of a bady after fertilizing the ovum outside the body and reimplanting it in the uterus for the normal development since then over three thousand test tube babies have been born in the world Thus laboratory or test -tube baby is the baby born in the normal fasion except for that the formation of zygote and initial development takes place outside the body in the test tube or petridish in the laboratory 

        Techniques of laboratory baby may vary but the basic steps are as follows ::

1. Administration of hormonal drugs to the woman to ensure the maturation of more than one ovum in the ovary Blood tests and ultrasound monitoring are then carried out to indicate the maturation of ova 

2.Insertion of a laparoscope into the ovary to locate the ova which are contained in follicles which are like bluish pockets in appearance A long needle is placed in a second incision to suck out gently the ova and the surrounding fluid 

3.The ova thus sucked out are washed and placed in a petridish in a solution of nutrients before they are put in an incubator 

4.The spermatozoa after being cleansed and put in a solution are added to petridish The petridish is placed in the incubator 

5.During the incubation fertilization occurs and the zygote is formed which divides into two to eight cells This is now known as blastocyte and is implanted in the uterus 

        Usually more than one embryo are implanted in the uterus to enhance the chance of pregnany frozen embryos are increasingly being used The blastocyte attaches itself to the uterus wall and normal embryo development proceeds 

            Zygote can also be transplanted in other woman s uterus and reared by care mother Artificial insemination is also a method by which child can be born to an infertile couple