On March 10th, the first test tube baby in Mainland China will celebrate her 20th birthday. Here we’d like to give you a brief introduction of test tube baby.
Assisted Reproductive Technology (hereinafter referred to as the ART), as one way for curing infertility, surgically removes eggs from a woman’s ovaries, combines them with sperm in the laboratory, and returns them to the woman’s body. It is often called “test tube baby”. The first test tube baby in the world was born in England in 1978. The first test tube baby in Mainland China was born in 1988 in Peking University Third Hospital, which is of great milestone significance. In the past 20 years, the ART brought great hope and happiness for numerous patients with infertility.
What is infertility and what is infertility situation in China?
Infertility is often defined as not being able to get pregnant after trying for one year. Patients of infertility should go to hospital for treatment in time. The infertility rate in the worlds has been raised to 10%-15% and that in China is 6.89%.
Do all patients with infertility need to undergo the ART?
The often said test tube baby technology is mainly used to cure female bilateral fallopian tube obstruction, ovulation failure, male severe oligospermia, azoospermia, obstructive oligospermia, etc. However, it can’t suit all patients with infertility. For example, the female with uterus dysfunction or serious physical illnesses can’t undergo ART.
Which kind of procedures patients should handle to undergo ART?
Patients who intend to undergo the ART should provide the ID cards of both husband and wife, marriage license and childbirth certificate that conforms with the National Regulations on Population and Family Planning. Couples of mixed marriages and foreigners should provide passports and marriage certificates. If not, the medical institutions have the right to refuse providing ART for them.
Does the Health Administrative Department have any special rules and regulations on the ART?
Yes. The ART, which is of high technique requirements and serious ethical issues, is a restricted technology and has strict approval system. Only government-approved institutions can carry out the ART. The Ministry of Health of People’s Republic of China has issued a series of regulations on the clear demanding of ART, the sperm banks management, basic conditions and technical specifications. At present, eleven hospitals have the approval for ART in Beijing, including Peking University Third Hospital, Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Peking University First Hospital, Peking University People's Hospital, Peking Union Medical Hospital, and 11 hospitals in military system etc. These institutions have provided external fertilization and embryo transfer treatment for about 20,000 patients and over 6,000 of them have successful pregnancy and delivery, which has reached advanced world levels.
Meanwhile, China has issued clear regulations on banning the trade of human sperm, eggs, zygotes and embryos, banning egg donation and supply for commercial purposes and banning any medical institutions carrying out surrogate motherhood technology. We hope that infertility patients correctly realize and treat the ART and support relevant health administrative departments to supervise the application of the technology. At the same time, medical institutions should rigidly discipline themselves and improve technical skills to provide more help for more infertility patients. Patients can check the detailed information through 12320 Public Health Hotline or Beijing Health Information Network.
The Medical Institutions Providing ART in Beijing
1. Peking University Third Hospital: officially carry out conventional external fertilization——embryo transfer, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, preimplanation genetic diagnosis and artificial insemination by donor.
2. Beijing Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital: officially carry out conventional external fertilization——embryo transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
3. Peking Union Medical Hospital: officially carry out conventional external fertilization——embryo transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
4. Peking University People's Hospital: officially carry out conventional external fertilization——embryo transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
5. Peking University First Hospital: carry out conventional external fertilization on trial——embryo transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
6. Beijing Jiaen Hospital: officially carry out conventional external fertilization——embryo transfer and intracytoplasmic sperm injection.
7. China Family Planning and Reproductive Health Technical Service Center: carry out artificial insemination by donor on trial.