Question

The egg is returned to mother’s body during test tube baby formation when it reaches
a. 8 cell stage
b. 16 cell stage
c. 8 or 16 cell stage
d. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Test tube baby is a non-medical term for babies that are conceived using the artificial reproductive technique of in-vitro fertilization (IVF). Here, the eggs are fertilized outside the human body and then implanted in the uterus.

Complete answer:
In vitro fertilization (IVF) is an assisted reproductive technology in which fertilization takes place in the lab instead of inside the body. It is a complex series of procedures used to help with fertility or prevent genetic problems and assist with the conception of a child.

During IVF, mature eggs are collected from ovaries and fertilized by sperm in vitro. The fertilized egg (zygote) is cultured in a growth medium until it reaches 8 or 16 cell stage (blastocyst stage) and is then implanted in the woman’s uterus, with the intention of establishing a successful pregnancy. One full cycle of IVF may take about three weeks.

The chances of having a healthy baby using IVF depend on various factors, like the age of the woman and the cause of infertility.

Hence, The correct answer is option (C).

Additional information:
Today, in vitro fertilization (IVF) is the most effective, commonly performed and final infertility treatment in the world. Additionally, in vitro fertilization is often the quickest method to get pregnancy for a woman who is over 35. It can also help patients with undefined infertility issues, especially if they have undergone several unsuccessful attempts with fertility medications as well as intrauterine insemination (IUI). In infertile couples where women have blocked fallopian tubes, or men have very low sperm counts, in vitro fertilization (IVF) provides a chance at parenthood to couples who until recently would have had no any hope of having a "biologically related" child.

Note: In a normal pregnancy, a sperm penetrates an egg and fertilizes it inside the woman's body after ovulation, when a mature egg has been released from the ovaries. The fertilized egg then attaches itself to the wall of the uterus (womb) and starts developing into a baby. This is known as natural conception.