Question

A female individual is able to produce functional oocytes. Her husband is fertile in all respects. Despite this, the couple is unable to conceive a child normally. Test reports of the female individual suggest that the endometrium is unsuitable for pregnancy. In such cases, which of the following will help them best to get a child?

• A. Transferring the zygote into the uterus of the female
• B. Transferring the developing embryo into the uterus of another female
• C. Injecting the sperm directly into the ovum of the female
• D. Deposition of sperms higher in the cervix of the female

Answer 1

The correct option is B Transferring the developing embryo into the uterus of another female

In this particular case study, the male and female partners are both able to produce functional gametes (sperms and oocytes respectively). They are not able to conceive a child because of the inability of the female partner to provide suitable conditions for implantation of the embryo. In such a situation, surrogacy can be a way to help the couple bear a child.
Surrogacy is an arrangement, often supported by legal agreements, where a woman (referred to as the surrogate mother), agrees to carry a child in her womb (for the entire period of gestation) for an infertile couple. The surrogate mother can provide suitable conditions for the implantation of the embryo, and at the end of the gestation period, a child is born.
The uterus is divided into 3 layers- perimetrium, myometrium and endometrium. Endometrium is the innermost layer of the uterus. Transferring the zygote to the uterus won't be fruitful as the endometrium is unsuitable for implantation.
Injecting the sperm directly into the ovum or depositing the sperms higher in the cervix of the female may be helpful in bringing about successful fertilisation but implantation is still difficult. So, these won’t help the couple bear a child either.