In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is defined as a process where an egg is fertilized by sperm outside the body: in vitro. IVF is considered as a major treatment for infertility when other measures of assisted reproductive technology have not been successful.

The procedure involves monitoring and stimulating a woman's ovulatory process, removing ovum or ova (egg or eggs) from the woman's ovaries and letting sperm fertilize them in a fluid medium in a laboratory. The fertilized egg (zygote) will then be cultured for 2 to 6 days before being transferred to the mother's uterus, hoping to establish a successful pregnancy.

Women having difficulties becoming mothers could take advantage of a kinder, safer form of IVF based on a ‘chocolate hormone’. Doctors at Imperial College London are trying to perfect a treatment that banks on the human body’s own way of ripening eggs. Reportedly, 12 babies have been born through this process.

This saves patients from unnecessary pain and discomfort, as well as lowers the possibilities of life-threatening complications. This method makes use of a hormone known as kisspeptin, which is naturally made in the body.

In the mid-1990s, it was discovered by researchers in Hershey, Pennsylvania, and the name can be traced back to Hershey’s Chocolate Kisses.

Kisspeptin could allegedly trigger the ripening of eggs during normal pregnancies. That said, it’s supposed to be gentler on the body than human chorionic gonadotropin, a drug used in IVF at the moment. The reason is that it’s broken down rather quickly, hence the lower risks.

The ‘chocolate hormone’ was administered to 53 IVF patients in the study and 12 babies were born. Not one of the participants had ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) which can be the cause of nausea, vomiting and bloating.

Among the babies born is Owen Harper, whose doctors deemed the treatment very promising. The mother, Alison Harper, 31, of Hertfordshire, had suffered from the discomfort of mild OHSS earlier. She said she had gone through several cycles of IVF previously but the one in the trial was the least uncomfortable, claiming it was less painful and that she felt less swollen.

Of course, some doctors said the study was too small to have any impact, but Dr Mark Hamilton, a former chairman of the British Fertility Society, said the births are ‘very exciting’.

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Joanna Maligaya

Staff Writer/Content Developer at Chocolate University Online

Ever since she can remember, Joanna has always considered chocolate as the ultimate food for her soul. She believes in the saying, “9 out of 10 people love chocolate, and the 10th always lies.”

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