IVF twins give new hope

Britain's first babies conceived with a new infertility treatment that does not contain powerful hormonal drugs have been born to a couple in Oxford.

A twin girl and boy were born on the 18 October at the John Radcliffe Hospital, after the babies were conceived using eggs taken from their mother that were still undeveloped and fertilised with their father's sperm in laboratory conditions.

The ground-breaking procedure, known as in-vitro maturation or IVM, allows infertile couples to conceive without having to give the woman powerful hormonal drugs to stimulate her ovaries into producing eggs.

The procedure offers hope to thousands of couples who cannot take the hormonal drugs used in standard IVF, or who prefer not to use them because of the strong side-effects. It is also good news for women who suffer from Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS), a condition that effects 10 to 20 per cent of women. Women suffering from PCOS are advised against taking fertility drugs because they have a raised risk of ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS), which on rare occasions can raise a risk of kidney damage or death.

The treatment could also help cancer patients preserve their fertility before chemotherapy, as hormonal drugs can sometimes worsen tumours.

Nearly 400 babies have been born using IVM, but the twins, whose identity along with their parents will remain anonymous, are the first to be born by this procedure in Britain.

The boy was delivered at 10.46am and weighed 6lb 11oz and his sister who arrived a minute later weighed 5lb 14oz.

The John Radcliffe Fertility Unit was awarded the first licence to offer the treatment in January. The unit is currently offering IVM to women with PCOS who are aged 37 and under. In the future it hopes to offer the technique more widely.

Thanks to The Times, 25/10/07

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