EB004 Critical Appraisal Evaluation Sample Paper
EB004: Critical Appraisal, Evaluation/Summary, and Synthesis of Evidence
Part 2: Evidence-Based Best Practices
After the appraisal of the evidence-based research journals chosen, the best evidence-based practice that I choose for infertility is In Vitro fertilization-IVF. IVF is a series of procedures used to help infertile couples to conceive (Amorim, 2018). In this method, eggs that are mature are harvested from a woman’s ovaries and then fertilized by a male sperm in the laboratory. The fertilized eggs are then transferred to the woman’s uterus. IVF can be used to maximize the chance of older patients conceiving.
IVF is a method of assisted reproduction in which a man’s sperm and a woman’s eggs are combined outside of the body in a laboratory dish. One or more fertilized eggs (embryos) are transferred into the woman’s uterus, where they are implanted in the uterine lining and develop. Serious complications from IVF technology and procedures are rare. As with all medical treatments, however, there are some risks. This document discusses the most common risks.
I chose IVF as the best intervention for infertility because it the most effective form of assisted reproduction. A couple can use their own eggs and sperm or they can use ones donated by a donor. The advantage with IVF is that it can be used to intervene in numerous types of infertility such as low sperm count, problems with ovulation, poor egg quality, and infertility caused by the inability of a sperm to penetrate the egg among many other types of infertility (Pan, Le, & Jin, 2018). IVF involves the testing of ovarian reserve and semen analysis to evaluate the chances of conception. Besides, testing for infectious diseases is also done when performing an IVF. This is to ensure that the resulting embryo is not affected by such infectious diseases. While IVF has some risks, it remains the most effective approach of dealing with infertility.
Another advantage of IVF is that it produces better results compared to IUI and other forms of assisted reproductive technology. IVF success rates have been increasing since its conception, thanks to technological advances. Although IUI and other forms of assisted reproduction technology can be successful for some patients, on the whole they have not undergone the same level of improvement, and do not currently have as high success rates. IUI with donor sperm can however be a useful first option in single women and same-sex couples.
IVF allows for Embryos to be screened for inherited diseases before the procedure is performed. For individuals who are known carriers of genetic disorders such as cystic fibrosis, Huntington’s disease and muscular dystrophy, IVF with pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) is one of the most reliable ways to ensure that a child conceived will not suffer from the disorder. Pre-implantation genetic screening (PGS) can improve the chances of a successful outcome, as it screens embryos for chromosomal disorders such as Down’s syndrome (Pan, Le, & Jin, 2018). Thus, with IVF, it is very rare for couples to transmit diseases to the unborn embryo because these factors are managed before a man’s sperm and the woman’s egg are combined.
References
- Amorim, C. A. (2018). In vitro culture of ovarian preantral follicles: A promising alternative for preserving fertility in cancer patients. Fertility and Sterility, 110(6), 1041–1042. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.08.054
- Pan, P., Le, F., & Jin, F. (2018). In vitro oocyte maturation alters renal renin-angiotensin system expression and epigenetic modification in mice. Fertility and Sterility, 110(4). https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fertnstert.2018.07.565