Discover the role of the environment in eggs, sperm and the mother’s womb.
When we think of biological inheritance, we tend to imagine a fixed set of traits that are determined at the moment of conception: eye colour, height or a predisposition to certain medical conditions. However, modern science has shown us that the book of life is not set in stone. There is a fascinating field of study that helps us understand how the environment can influence the way our genes function: epigenetics. For patients trying to conceive, whether naturally, through in vitro fertilisation (IVF) using their own eggs, or via egg donation treatment, understanding epigenetics provides a broader and more hopeful perspective on the interaction between genetics, the environment and a baby’s development. It shows us that certain habits, environmental factors and the uterine microenvironment may influence some aspects of a child’s biological development.
From genetic grief to a new way of becoming a mother or father
When an individual or a couple begins a fertility treatment process, it is usually undertaken with expectations, desires and images built around future parenthood, including the possibility of sharing a genetic link with the child they envisage. When, due to different circumstances, oocyte, sperm or embryo donation appears as the only alternative to be able to build a family, not only is it necessary to adapt to a medical decision, but also to go through a deep emotional process. In this context, complex and sometimes contradictory emotions may arise, related to the need to readjust expectations and reconstruct the meaning of motherhood and fatherhood as previously imagined.
Artificial intelligence in the IVF laboratory
Artificial intelligence (AI) is making significant inroads into healthcare, and assisted reproduction is no exception. In recent years, numerous software platforms have emerged that analyse images and data from oocytes or embryos, and in this article, we will explain how they can contribute to decision-making in the in vitro fertilisation laboratory. An AI model serves as a ‘trained expert’ inside the computer: it learns by reviewing many real cases from the past (medical records, images, results, etc.) and extracts patterns to estimate probabilities in a new case. For example, using the patient’s age and a photo of an embryo, it can calculate the probability of achieving a pregnancy. It is not magic, nor does it predict the future: it provides estimates, not certainties.