Abstract
As the use of assisted reproductive technologies (ART) continues to rise worldwide,
it remains of the upmost importance to maintain the safety of those techniques used
in ART. Many of these practices are unique to this discipline; as such, it becomes
difficult to assess the true risks that the potential offspring may be subjected to
under this type of treatment. Removal of oocytes from a woman's body during an in
vitro fertilization (IVF) cycle offers an increased opportunity for routine cellular
processes to go awry. Specifically, epigenetic modifications and imprinting diseases
are rare among the general population; however, although their incidence among IVF-conceived
children is also rare, their frequency in this population remains elevated compared
with universal rates. Recent investigations have directly attributed their occurrences
to the use of ART and IVF to achieve a successful pregnancy. This review discusses
the major cellular manipulations of a typical IVF cycle to assess the potential risks
versus the reported risks. These manipulations include preimplantation genetic diagnosis
and screening, intracytoplasmic sperm injection, ooplasmic transfer, embryo culture,
in vitro maturation, and cryopreservation. Oocyte and embryo handling is a delicate
part of the IVF process that continues to improve. The safety of those potential improvements
is also discussed.
Keywords
PGD/PGS - ICSI - oocyte/embryo culture - IVF safety - imprinting diseases
