Stem Cells Across The Curriculum

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Egg Freezing Surplus Video

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Sept 6, 2015. To Freeze or Not to Freeze?
AUnews. yahoo.com. (22:33 min) Link

In Australia social egg freezing is on the rise and egg freezing cocktail information sessions are hosted monthly in urban centers around the world.  Social egg freezing refers to the process of stimulating the ovaries to produce multiple mature oocytes for in vitro fertilization (IVF) some time in the future.  The hormone stimulation protocol,egg freezing, and IVF are considered experimental for those that are not deemed medically infertile.  Feminists have weighed in on both sides, with some saying that the process offers autonomy and choice, while others are concerned that the commercialization of the industry is providing a false sense of security and potentially exposing people to health risks. Because of these reasons, China has placed a ban on egg freezing for single women and only permits the procedure for married women seeking medical treatment for chemotherapy induced infertility. Professional societies (British Fertility Society, Royal College of Obstetricians, the American Society for Reproductive Medicine) are also warning people that social egg freezing should not occur, and that the procedure should only be used in the context of medical reasons, while major companies such as IBM, Apple, and Facebook provide the service as a benefit for those interested in delaying child bearing.  For stem cell research the possibility of an increased number of surplus frozen eggs and embryos offers a new biological resource for researchers.

Resources

  1. Video:  Sept 6, 2015. To Freeze or Not to Freeze?AUnews. yahoo.com. (22:33 min) Link
  2. Video:  Sept 6, 2015. To Freeze or Not to Freeze?Web Extra Michele Bractcher Goodwin. AUnews. yahoo.com. (1:31 min) Link
  3. Video:  Morrissey, T. August 24, 2015. Ovary Action: Is it Worth Your Time and Money to Freeze Your Eggs. Broadly S1 Ep2. Vice News. (28 min) Link
  4. News: Mason, M. and Ekman, T. April 11, 2017. No Companies Shouldn't Pay Women to Freeze Their Eggs. Wired. Link
  5. News: Lewin, T. June 17, 2015. Industry’s Growth Leads to Leftover Embryos, and Painful Choices. New York Times:A1. Link
  6. News: Oct 19, 2012. Freezing Eggs To Make Babies Later Moves Mainstream. NPR.com Link
  7. News:  Henig, R. Sept 30, 2014. Should You Freeze Your Eggs.  Slate.com. Link
  8. News: Aug 4, 2015. China Egg Freezing Ban Sparks Massive Debate Online. BBCnews.com Link
  9. Professional Society Report:.2013. ASRM and SART Practice Committees. Mature oocyte cryopreseveration: A guideline. Fertility and Sterility. 99 (1):37-43. Link
  10. Infographic: Chamany, K. et al. 2013. Sources of Stem Cells Radial Infographic. Stem Cells Across the Curriculum. Link
  11. IVF SCR Review Article: Gearhart, J. et al. Jan 7, 2011. In vitro fertilization, the Nobel Prize, and human embryonic stem cells. Cell. 8:12-15. Link
  12. IVF SCR Review Article: Kiessling, A. Oct 2007. Human Eggs: The Need, The Risks, And The Politics. Burrill Stem Cell Report. 38-45. Link
    This article is good for biology students who can make connections to the cell cycle and reproductive biology.