• Question: I understand that you work with embryo's, isnt htis quite difficult as these embryo's may have been babies if you hadn't taken them?

    Asked by elliejellybelly to Sharon on 15 Mar 2011 in Categories: .
    • Photo: Sharon Sneddon

      Sharon Sneddon answered on 15 Mar 2011:

      hello!

      Good question, I don’t really have a problem with that as it’s highly unlikely that the embryos would ever be able to form a baby.
      When patients come in for IVF treatment, sometimes there are eggs and embryos that can’t be used for their treatment and would be thrown away. If this happens, the patients are asked if they would consent to the eggs and embryos to be used for research.
      All the good quality healthy eggs and embryos get used to make babies, and not all of the good ones even suceed at that as not every embryo will make a baby.
      Sometimes, we do get good quality ones, but that is because the parents have decided that they do not want any more treatment, or perhaps they have had enough children. This is a really big decision for the parents to make, but we never force them or try to persuade them.

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