News

2nd May 2005

Woman expecting twins from frozen egg

A British woman is pregnant with twins conceived from a frozen egg.

The pregnancy is the UK's first twin pregnancy following revolutionary fertility treatment, scientists have revealed.

The 36-year-old, who wants to remain anonymous, is said to be five months through a "normal and healthy pregnancy" despite scientific concerns over the pioneering deep-freeze technology.

One of her eggs had been stored in liquid notrogen for 18 months before doctors at the West Midlands-based Midland Fertility Services thawed it, fertilised it with her husband's sperm and implanted it into her womb.

She chose this method because she objected to traditional methods that involve the creation and destruction of surplus embryos.

The centre's medical director, Dr Gillian Lockwood, said, "It is wonderful to have further proof that this new development in assisted conception can offer real hope of genetic motherhood to many women who require fertility treatment, including those at risk of premature infertility or those who have concerns about the cryopreservation of embryos."

The technique has received much concern after the birth in June 2002 of the UK's first frozen egg baby, Emily Perry, who was also conceived at the Centre.

Dr Lockwood argues it is invaluable for women who feel their fertility is over after chemotherapy or other conditions which may cause infertility.

However, concerns have been raised that the technique could be used by career women who want to save their younger eggs for a time when they are ready to start a family.

There are also concerns surrounding long term risks.

A spokesman for British charity Life said, "We are concerned about the safety of these types of procedure because there has been a lack of follow-up studies on the children that are born using them."

He warned of links between egg-freezing and debilitating genetic disorders that could appear after an apparently healthy birth, adding, "The effect of liquid nitrogen upon eggs has not been fully investigated at this stage."

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