Desperate couple tries to conceive by undergoing IVF. Clinic staff implant embryo into wrong woman. Mistake is realized. Woman is given RU-486. Embryo is aborted, opportunity is lost, everyone loses.

Surely this could have been handled better. Couldn't the other mother have carried the other mother's embryo for a chance at getting her own? picked by meggysue 5 months ago

For the first time in the world scientists have succeeded in developing human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) from a single cell, or blastomere, of a 4-cell stage embryo. This means it might be possible in the future to produce hESC lines at an earlier stage without destroying the embryo. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

It’s the first documented demonstration that ordinary cells from an adult human can be used to make cloned embryos mature enough to produce stem cells. picked by MandolinOrange 2 years ago

Using specialized computer software to take photos every two minutes of 33 embryos growing in a laboratory, Dr. Dianna Payne, a visiting research fellow at the Mio Fertility Clinic in Japan, and colleagues documented for the first time the early days of twin development. picked by DrNothing 2 years ago

For the first time, it is possible to actually watch the initial 24 hours of the life of an embryo at the cellular level.

I know, I know, not the most titillating of topics... but nevertheless, fascinating... to moi. :) picked by Nateebiinature 1 year ago

Two kids are more than enough for me but I still find this site fascinating and amazing. May prove helpful for the Where-do-babies-come-from talk. picked by lemon711 2 years ago

It is supposed to the happiest news a couple can get, especially a couple who have difficulty conceiving and carrying babies. The in vitro fertilization procedure had been a success: Carolyn Savage was pregnant. picked by nateebiinature 2 months ago

For blood cells to grow in an embryo, they need the pressure of a beating heart, say US researchers.

The finding explains why an embryo's heart starts beating just weeks after conception, and it points the way to new stem cell-based treatments for a host of blood disorders such as leukaemia. picked by AutumnLotus 6 months ago

What could possibly go wrong?? picked by Hoosker 2 years ago

It comes as a cellphone charm, a candy/pill dispenser and a samba whistle. Yes, a samba whistle. And yes, it's from Japan. picked by Mitzuzake 2 years ago

It lives about 8-9 months as an embryo, and has a post-hatching lifespan of just 4-5 months. As far as the scientists know, this is unique among land vertebrates. It may help researchers better understand how ecological and hormonal factors influence evolution. picked by 2manyusernames 1 year ago

Australian scientists have found a remarkable 380 million year old fossil placoderm fish with intact embryo and mineralised umbilical cord. Video included. picked by AutumnLotus 1 year ago

RNID has made a statement that deaf people should be able to select an embryo that will be born deaf and throw out ones that would be able to hear. RNID does not speak for all deaf people and some are saying that the statement is taken out of context. That they want the right to implant embryos that are deaf when that is the only viable embryo. picked by 2manyusernames 2 years ago

Why does "Brave New World" pop into my head when I read this? picked by tomphoolry 3 years ago

Ethicists are becoming increasingly concerned that embryo screening is becoming a popular trend in determining a baby's gender. This process, originally intended to detect medical problems, is now performed in 42% of clinics without being medically warranted. Is blond-hair, blue-eyes screening next? picked by ybne1else 3 years ago

Artificial wombs and experiments on human embryos grown in the lab will be commonplace and no big deal ethically in 30 years, several scientists predict. They envision a scenario just like test-tube babies, which shocked us 30 years ago but now are fairly routine and acceptable to most people. picked by deEPCHIll 1 year ago

The story starts at Saddleback Memorial Hospital in Laguna Hills. The fertility clinic there had been shuttered earlier in 1995, when an investigation found that its doctors had mixed up embryos and impregnated women with eggs that weren't theirs. As many as 300 patients were thought to have been involved, and at least three cases had surfaced in which women had unwittingly given birth to children... read full post picked by TraumaMamma 4 months ago

Using an array of technology, the images reveal what until now has been a secret - exactly how animals develop in the womb. Subjects were elephant, dog, and dolphin.
(old article but new to me, passed on to you) picked by gnikgnok 3 years ago

Australian officials have allowed the use of cloned human embryos in experiments. picked by sparky 3 years ago

Watch the baby chick grow from the embryonic stage, to a full grown baby chick. Pretty neat!

It may, however, ruin eggs for me. picked by Bingo 3 months ago