World In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) Day(also known as World Embryologist Day) is annually observed across the globe on 25 July to raise awareness about IVF technology, one of the greatest innovations in reproductive science, and its transformative impact on families worldwide.
History:
- 25 July commemorates the birth date of Louise Brown, the first-ever test-tube baby. He was born on 25 July 1978 in Manchester, England, the United Kingdom (UK).
- Over 8 million babies have been born through IVF since 1978.
Note: Robert Edwards (Father of IVF), a British scientist, and the Nobel Prize laureate in Physiology or Medicine (2010) for the development of IVF, and Patrick Steptoe, a British gynecologist are the successful pioneers of IVF in the world.
Significance:
i.World IVF Day aims to honour the contributions and progress of embryologists in infertility and reproductive medicine.
ii.This Day is recognised to celebrate the success and significance of IVF as an effective method of conceiving.
iii.It also recognises the achievements and advances made in infertility, and reproductive technology, and the hope and resilience these advancements bring to millions of people globally.
About In Vitro Fertilization (IVF):
i.IVF is a type of Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART), which is a set of advanced fertility treatments.
ii.It helps individuals or couples, who have difficulties conceiving naturally.
iii.A few reasons for using IVF include blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, male infertility, age-related infertility, genetic disorders, etc.
About Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART):
i.ART is a group of fertility treatments that involve handling eggs or embryos outside the body and transferring the gamete or embryo into the uterus to help people achieve pregnancy.
ii.Types of ART include IVF, Artificial Insemination (AI), Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection (ICSI), Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET), etc.
Regulations of ART in India:
i.The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill, 2020 was introduced in Lok Sabha in September 2021 to regulate and supervise ART services in India.
ii.The Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Act, 2021, was passed on 20 December 2021, by an act of Parliament to regulate the functioning of ART clinics and ART banks in India.
- Aim: To ensure that ART services are affordable, ethical, and socially acceptable in India, and to protect the interests of infertile couples, ART donors, and surrogate mothers.
iii.In 2022, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (MoH&FW) notified the Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Rules, 2022 to regulate the functioning of ART clinics and banks.
iv.In 2023, the MoH&FW notified the Assisted Reproductive Technology Regulations (ART), 2023, to provide donors and patients with better medical care and security.
v.The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) and the National Academy of Medical Sciences (NAMS) have issued a National Guidelines for Accreditation, Supervision and Regulation of ART Clinics in India to regulate and supervise ART clinics.
First Indian Test Tube Baby:
i.The world’s 2nd and India’s 1st IVF baby, Kanupriya Agarwal, alias Durga, was born on 3 October 1978, through the efforts of the Late Dr. Subhas Mukherjee in Kolkata, West Bengal.
ii.India’s 1st scientifically documented IVF baby “Harsha” was, born on 6 August 1986 in Mumbai, Maharashtra.
- It was acheived through the collaborative efforts of the ICMR’s National Institute for Research in Reproductive and Child Health (NIRRCH) (formerly ICMR-National Institute for Research in Reproductive Health (NIRRH)),Mumbai(Maharashtra), and the King Edward’s Memorial Hospital (KEM), Mumbai.
