Health: Health check - Single sperm count
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.THE PUBLIC has no love for genetics. Manipulating the building blocks of life should, in the view of many, be off limits for scientists. There may be benefits from genetically modified food, even from cloning, but too much is at stake, ethically and in safety terms, to allow boffins free rein.
Strange, then, that the biggest genetic experiment of all - involving the birth of over 3,000 babies in the UK alone so far - is going on under our noses with barely a murmur of comment, let alone protest.
I am referring to ICSI - the injection of genetic material (in the form of a single sperm) into an egg to create an embryo. Its full title is Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection and it is the fastest-growing method of in vitro fertilisation, according to the annual report of the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority, published last week.
The race that all sperm are involved in from the moment they are deposited in the vagina to reach the egg may have a purpose - to weed out damaged sperm which could pass their defects to the next generation. The act of sexual intercourse ensures a process of natural selection - a process over-ridden by ICSI.
What are the long-term consequences of tampering with nature in this way? No one knows. Some studies have suggested a slightly higher risk of congenital defects among ICSI babies, but others have shown no such increase.
One fear is that male children born by the method will inherit the infertility suffered by their fathers. Is a man's life ruined by the discovery that he cannot have children or is it an acceptable price for being born? Does he simply choose ICSI in his turn?
The HFEA has long been concerned by ICSI, but warnings of potential genetic consequences have zero impact. The desperate desire for a child guarantees they will be ignored.
The use of ICSI is almost certain to grow because success rates are now 40 per cent higher than with ordinary IVF. We have to face the fact that we are in the midst of the biggest genetic experiment in human history - and we will not know the outcome for another 50 years.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments