[Medical Q&A] Are the third-generation test tubes more advanced than the first and second generations?

Author: Sui Yilun Shanghai Ji'ai Genetics and Infertility Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University

Reviewer: Fu Jing, Chief Physician, Shanghai Ji'ai Genetics and Infertility Diagnosis and Treatment Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology Hospital, Fudan University

As we all know, mobile phones and computer systems are getting better and better, but this is not the case with in vitro fertilization - in vitro fertilization is divided into first, second and third generations, and is named in chronological order according to successful cases reported in China. It is easy to remember, but it just means that different technologies are suitable for different situations.

(1) First-generation IVF technology: Generally suitable for women with blocked fallopian tubes. Because the female fallopian tubes are blocked, the sperm and egg cannot meet, which leads to infertility. At this time, the male's sperm vitality and motility indicators are basically normal.

(2) Second-generation IVF technology: It is particularly "friendly" to patients with infertility due to male factors. It has a good effect on patients with oligospermia and asthenospermia whose sperm has poor motility and viability and whose sperm cannot easily "swim" to the egg.

(3) Third-generation IVF technology: It is mainly used to solve the problem of high genetic risk of embryos, or repeated transplantation failures and repeated fetal arrests due to unknown reasons. We test the embryos to exclude chromosomal abnormalities or single gene diseases, and transplant normal embryos, thereby increasing the transplantation success rate and reducing the miscarriage rate or offspring defects. This technology is more inclined to eugenics.