While looking for info about the action of everyday chemicals on pregnant mothers possibly being responsible for some intersex conditions, I saw this abstract
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=PubMed&dopt=Citation&list_uids=17190972
in this review
http://www.emcom.ca/summaries/references07.shtml
the review summary was
Reproductive technologies may be propagating effects of environmental endocrine disruptors through generations. The authors review the hypothesis that assisted reproductive technologies are allowing effects of endocrine disruptors to be propagated from individuals that would otherwise be sterile, thus by-passing barriers put in place by natural selection.
and also (old news I admit) that invitro fertilization can result in mosaic children with related intersex conditions
http://www.personalmd.com/news/a1998011413.shtml
As I have a relative who has experience of IVF, I wondered how members here felt about this technology?
Kailana
10-21-07, 05:29 PM
I think IVF technologies provide an extremely beneficial service to many couples. I also wanted to add, that its quite likely that the reason alot of those couples werent able to conceive on there own is because they are intersexed and dont know it. They carry the genes and arent aware of it. Thats why they have such a hard time getting pregnant. I really doubt that its the IVF that is causing the mosaicism, I really believe its the couples themselves. 1 or the other, or both , carries that mosaicism. That is what is interfering with normal pregnancy's. I also want to add, so what if its increasing the likely hood of an intersexed condition. There is nothing wrong with being intersexed. Most of the medical community just thinks there is. Not all doctors are as bigoted as the doctors that reccommend surgical reassignment early in life or the doctors i have dealt with from 93-2005 here in the states.
I could be wrong but I think they are aruging that the mosaicism arises sometimes from the actual physical process when they're dealing with the embryos.... doesn't mean there couldn't be some genetics at play too though I suppose... dunno?
I guess I was kind of thinking of a slightly different point though... I have a really long time friend that I grew up with who happens to be deaf. She always said as a child that she HOPED her children would also be hard of hearing.
I've been hoping that my niece isn't CAIS, since there's a chance that my sister is a carrier..... but perhaps that's the wrong attitude?
... I remain to be convinced otherwise but in a way it's strange that although I hate the idea of normal, that's exactly the life I've been hoping for my niece!!!
Sometimes I've wished I could have a child..... but it was never meant to be if you see what I'm getting at. Finding out about the CAIS I suddenly realised that.
how any mosacisim could come about simply via the method by which the egg becomes fertilized. The genetic contents of the egg and sperm define the outcome, and if they're 'normal', I would expect the child to be the
same.
This said, I can agree with Kailana regarding the inability of the couple of not being able to concieve on their own, due to an underlying case of intersex. But, as I'm sure you all know, there are a myriad number of variables that can cause infertility between a 'normal' woman/man combination.
AND... the environmental factors surrounding the joining of the egg and sperm are not to be discounted. In this vein, it is Certainly possible that the recepticles that house and nurture the developing zygote could have an effect upon it's development via phylo-estrogenic compounds that are so prevelant in many hospital-like environments and utensils. In this light, it could be seen that there might be a prevalence of feminized males, as most (if not all) of these phylo compounds mimic estrogen.
JOS... of course you wish the Best for your niece... to be able to live a 'normal' life, and to concieve and bear children. This is only natural. I will say, there are 'some' intersexed people who can produce offspring, but, in so many cases, it's the doctor's interferance that causes the infertility... Not the person's condition.
I do know that I have a step-sister that would Not have had any children, if not for IVF. The few times she attempted to go naturally, she got ectopic pregnacies, and this, as you may well know, is NOT a good thing. As it is, she now has 3 healthy children... one girl, and two boys, the oldest about 10, and the youngest about 6, all perfectly normal. So, I'd have to say that IVF is a perfectly acceptable, and sometimes, necessary tool to assist those who would like to have a child, but have encountered difficulties in doing so naturally.
One item I was profoundly interested in was a short article on how a research group in France was creating 'vaginas' from a woman's own mucosal cells, when there was a problem in normal development.
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/18942828/
In the same vein, I also read where they were also discussing the creation of a natural 'womb' using the same techniques, but, unfortunately, I can't find the article any more. It had indicated that a woman had been able to bear a child with the 'new' womb.
Perhaps, just dreaming....
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