Almost 40 years have passed since the first test-tube baby was born. At the time Louise Brown was born, this method was considered highly controversial. However, today, in vitro fertilization is considered commonplace. Perhaps in the next half century there will be a new way of reproducing offspring? It is now we are looking with horror at the concept of raising children in the laboratory, but science does not stand still. What awaits the reproductive sphere of mankind in the near future?
Laboratory research advances reproductive innovation
Research in the field of fertility and reproduction of offspring is going far ahead by leaps and bounds. Some questions about the near future of humanity look, to put it mildly, overwhelming. Science labs are ready to reproduce children without a woman's help. And already now, great results have been achieved that could not have been imagined 30-40 years ago. Does this mean that soon having sex for procreation will become obsolete as unnecessary? Does this mean that women of the future will give up pregnancy? But the most sensitive question lies on the surface: will governments around the world officially allow genetically modified children to be "released"?
Successful egg freezing experience
However, all these are questions of a more distant future. In the meantime, the trend of biological aging of mothers awaits us. Already, with the help of science, women are able to expand fertility to a later date. History knows real examples. Once, the procedure for freezing eggs was recognized as a failed experiment. However, the scientists did not abandon their attempts and improved the procedure. Today, 80 to 90 percent of frozen eggs survive. Moreover, 97 percent of them have a realistic chance of being fertilized. There is one more experience that is under development.
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Freezing ovarian tissue
Women at a young age may venture to freeze ovarian tissue, which must be removed for this. Years later, when a mature lady wants to produce a child, her young reproductive organs must be put back in place. At the moment, this method is at the research stage, but several children have already been born in this way. As you can imagine, over time, the process of freezing and replanting ovarian tissue will only improve.
Other experiments
At the moment, the concept of creating sperm from stem cells has been successfully developed. There is no obstacle to not doing the same with female eggs. Thus, for women over 40, there are already several viable ways to maintain fertility. It is hoped that all of these methods will become socially acceptable and affordable. Otherwise, they will only be used by a select few wealthy women. The rights and opportunities of the beautiful half of humanity should be expanded in all social strata. Then any woman, at the moment when she is ready to reproduce offspring, can fulfill her dream.
How will scientific developments affect normal procreation?
Is the craze for laboratory methods of fertilization threatening us, and what are the chances of the usual method of conceiving children? To answer this question, you can turn your eyes to the statistics of in vitro fertilization. Despite the tremendous work being done in this direction, only a third of women can get pregnant this way. The rest of the experiments are still unsuccessful. But there is no doubt that the trend will change dramatically in the next 40 years. Even the healthiest embryo in 30 percent of cases can have a genetic abnormality, which ultimately leads to a miscarriage or genetic abnormalities in the baby.
Currently, scientists are already using screening for implantation. In this case, genetically defective material is discarded in advance. In the near future, science is waiting for another breakthrough: improving non-invasive testing of embryonic fluid. This will greatly increase the chances of artificial insemination. According to experts working in the field of in vitro fertilization, within 100 years this method may well supplant the usual conception of a child in the marital bedroom. Most likely, women will be more focused on laboratory procedures than on “standard” sex with a partner. These are the forecasts of specialists.
What are the odds of having genetically modified children?
Of course, all these experiments will inevitably lead to the genetic modification of babies. Any potential defect can be eliminated even before the baby is born. Now science has a unique opportunity to identify and eliminate not only the most common chromosomal problems (for example, Down's syndrome), but also to get into the human genotype. Over the next 40 years, tests will become more accurate and results available immediately. This will make it possible to identify an embryo with a disease or a high risk of developing pathologies. From the point of view of science, everything is perfect, but from the point of view of ethics and morality, not everything is so smooth.
Children can get a chance for a healthy life
We sincerely hope that in 2056 and 2116, humanity will have the opportunity to correct the abnormal genes of the embryo. Gene editing techniques work with the fetal genome in the late stages of embryonic development. It can be cut at any desired location and defective areas removed. Instead, new, completely healthy genes are inserted into the hereditary material. Thus, the baby can become a "designer" creation. He will receive treatment even before he is born, and the chance for a healthy existence will become reality. From the point of view of ethics, this is not easy, but this method is better than the current screening designed to detect and eradicate pathologies, and even more so it is better than the birth of babies with genetic abnormalities.