試管受精技術重大進展 首次實現女性體內受精

An IVF breakthrough could signal the end of the 'test tube baby' by allowing fertilisation to occur inside a woman's body for the first time.

近日試管受精技術取得一項突破性進展，首次實現了在女性體內進行受精，這可能標誌着“試管嬰兒”時代的結束。

The development, to be offered within weeks to British couples having trouble conceiving, means the crucial first stage of embryo development can take place in the natural surroundings of the womb rather than in the laboratory – just as in normal conception.

這一進展意味着胚胎髮育的第一步可以像正常受孕時一樣在子宮自然環境中進行，而不是在實驗室。接下來幾周，這一技術將提供給在受孕方面有困難的英國夫婦。

The cutting-edge process involves inserting a device smaller than a matchstick, containing a mixture of sperm and eggs, into the woman's body. It is removed after 24 hours to allow doctors to assess which of the resulting embryos are healthy enough to be implanted in the hope of achieving a successful pregnancy.

實施這一尖端技術，需要將一個比火柴棍還小、其中含有精子和卵子的設備嵌入女性體內，並在24小時後移出，隨後，醫生會對產生的胚胎進行評估，將其中足夠健康的胚胎移植回女性體內，以期實現成功受孕。

Leading fertility experts say it offers women an important psychological benefit as it gives them greater biological involvement in the creation of their children. Doctors believe it may also boost IVF success rates and the long-term health of the children.

前沿的生育專家表示，這將爲女性帶來重要的心理撫慰，因爲從生理角度看她們更大程度的參與了孩子的孕育。醫生相信這項技術還將極大提高試管嬰兒的成功率以及促進兒童的長期健康。

The technique, which has been used successfully in some European clinics, was formally approved by the fertility regulator, the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA), in September.

這一技術已在歐洲一些診所得到成功應用，它於今年9月正式獲得生育監管機構人類受精和胚胎學管理局的批准。

It will be available at the Complete Fertility clinic, based at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, from the New Year and will cost a few hundred pounds more than the 3,800 pounds cost of standard IVF.

總部位於英國NHS信託基金會南安普頓大學醫院的完全生育診所從明年新年開始將提供這一技術，它比標準試管嬰兒技術的價格(3800鎊，約36608元)要貴幾百鎊。

During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised embryo is then returned to the woman's womb after six days to grow and develop.

試管嬰兒技術過程中，需要取自女性卵巢的一個卵子，將其與實驗室的精子受精結合。6天后，受精的胚胎被重新注入女性子宮中進行生長髮育。

The new process involves mixing the sperm and eggs and placing them instead in the Anecova AneVivo device, which is about 1cm long and 1mm wide. This is inserted painlessly without an anaesthetic. Couples return home from the clinic while fertilisation takes place.

而最新的試管受精過程，精子和卵子結合後，將它們放置在一個長約1釐米，寬1釐米的Anecova AneVivo設備中培養，這一設備無需麻醉劑即可無痛注射至女性體內，從診所回家的路上受精過程就已經發生。

The HFEA agreed at a meeting last month that there was no evidence the technique was unsafe. However, it cautioned that there was also no evidence so far it was more effective than standard IVF and might 'add an unnecessary cost to patients'.

上個月HFEA在一次會議上表示目前尚未有任何證據表明這種技術不安全。然而，它警告稱，目前也沒有任何證據表明它比標準的試管嬰兒技術更有效，它或可能“爲病人增加不必要的開銷”。