Creating “designer babies” might sounds like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but in fact, it may just be what our society needs as an alternative to sexual procreation.

In an age of birth control and going against our biological block, IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) is a scientific and technological revelation.

At the pace which our world is constantly evolving, people are having children later in life, it’s no wonder that our scientific and technological advancements are also trying to keep up with our lifestyle.

Say goodbye to everything you knew about human procreation and hello to the second “sexual revolution.”

Photo by Vladimir Zotov

According to Martin Varsavsky, CEO, and founder of Prelude Fertility (a family planning startup), sex will no longer be the most favorable way to procreate with a significant other. Those who decide to have children can now do so without the financial burden and emotional stress of infertility.

7 million people would have tried to conceive through sexual intercourse with only 5 million who would actually succeed. Within those 5 million, 1 million will have a miscarriage.

This means only 4 million will be born within that 7 million. 200,000 of these newborns will have congenital health problems according to Varsavsky.

The global population at the moment might be rising but is estimated to decrease after 2050. Statistics show that women in the U.S. need an average of at least 2-3 children to keep the population at bay. But at its current rate, women are only having 1-2 children which is considered below the “replacement rate.”

 

There are many factors that play into infertility, but it’s always frustrating for couples who try for children with no success. As humans, we are designed to long for children and forward part of our DNA through the evolution of mankind. Unfortunately, our daily schedules do not seem to adhere to that of our biological clock and giving birth at an older age causes more complications. Because of this, in-vitro fertilization (IVF) has increased in popularity.

Therefore, Varsavsky has developed a four step “Prelude” method that will help couples have children later in life without the medical complications. These four steps include:

 

  1.    Preservation: The freezing of a woman’s egg and man’s sperm while they’re still in their prime age of procreation.

 

  1.    Embryo creation: Embryos are created outside of the womb by unfreezing the eggs and sperm.

 

  1.    Diagnosis and screening: To make sure the embryo is safe for implantation; it will undergo a screening for any abnormalities.

 

  1.    Transfer of embryo: If the embryo has passed the screening, it can be transferred and implanted into the womb.

 

What beholds us for the future of procreation is still considered murky waters and the ethical questioning behind Varsavky’s method is indeed rational. But with the way our society is formulating in such high speeds, it’s no wonder that IVF is so popular among couples these days. Maybe this method is not for everyone, but it’s still a technological step in the right direction.