Inherited Infertility

Posted by Joanna Karpasea-Jones Feb 15, 2008

Did you know that 15% of the population is infertile? And this is rising steadily, causing scientists to ponder exactly why. The most common reason for increased infertility rates is thought to be the age at which women have children. In modern times, when women are expected to have successful careers as well as have a family, some women are putting off getting pregnant until their late thirties or forties with disasterous consequences.

However, reports from the Massachussets Institute of Technology showed that 35 men they tested had partial deletion of their Y chromosome, leading to missing information in their genes and subsequent low sperm counts. If these men were to have children using ICSI - where a sperm is injected into an egg - they could have children who also carry the gene fault who may themselves find it difficult to become fathers. Most men are never tested for the deletion, and low sperm count is a very common problem in male factor infertility, so at present we have no idea how many men may pass on their infertility to their offspring. Scientists predict that our generations of IVF babies will themselves require assisted conception.

There is also worry that the ICSI procedure itself may damage a baby's DNA. Damaged DNA can cause disabilities.

ICSI was carried out on monkey's to examine the affects and 5 baby monkeys were born. Of those, there were two females with eye defects, one stillborn male and two completely healthy females. Should all men be gene tested prior to undergoing IVF in case they can pass on a genetic fault? Medics say it is rare, but in reality, with no testing, we have no idea how rare it may be, and if I was going to be a new parent, I'd want to know.