The first boy was born thanks to new embryo screening techniques

Biagio Russo is the first baby born in the UK to use breakthrough new embryo screening techniques, which can greatly improve the birth rate of couples using in vitro fertilization.

Ewa Wybacz, 36, and Sergio Russu, 42, from Oxford (England) turned to infertility treatment after years of failing to conceive naturally.

They were the first couple in the UK to be asked to use Next Generation Sequencing, a genetic test that could accurately check the number of chromosomes (chromosomes) in fertilized eggs to find the most healthy subjects, and have the highest chance of success.

Biagio Russo is the first baby in the UK to be born through a breakthrough new reproductive technique.

More than 50% of the embryos do not have the necessary number of chromosomes needed for a successful pregnancy, which accounts for three-quarters of miscarriages. Abnormal chromosomes can also cause genetic complications such as Down syndrome.

Technologies recognized at Oxford Fertility Maternity Hospital show that, although couples produce 10 embryos through in vitro fertilization, only 3 embryos have normal chromosomes in the cell.

As we know, less than one-third of all pregnancies by in vitro fertilization (IVF) have been successful, but using this new technique, Ms Wybacx was able to get pregnant immediately, and enter Last January, baby Biagio was born.

Typically, embryos are selected based on their appearance and development only in the days before transplantation.

The chance to become pregnant after IVF treatment can be strengthened by transferring two embryos, but this significantly increases the risk of multiple pregnancies and brings high risks in both pregnancy and childbirth.

Tim Child, Associate Professor at Oxford University and the Medical Director of Oxford Fertility, said: "I think this method is really important because it makes us not need to replant embryos - routine with IVF, we cannot be proactive and must always hope that the embryo has a normal genome, in this way, we can maximize the success of having children, it also helps couples save money big when eggs are frozen ".

Mr. Russu, a scientific researcher currently living in Swindon with Ms Wybacz, a butler at Mansfield College, Oxford, said they had hoped for a big family someday. The couple froze two other embryos when they found a healthy embryo through screening.

Baby Biagio and dad, Mr. Sergio Russu.

"My wife was told that she would never be able to have children because of the scar from her appendix surgery and ovarian cyst," said Russu.

"We have never used a contraceptive method, but have never been fortunate. We decided to try IVF and when the doctors did the tests, they really could not find the reason at Why can't we be pregnant, so they introduce us to this new screening technique .

We were warned about the low success rate but Ewa became pregnant immediately and everything came exactly as planned.

Biagio is healthy and lovely, we cannot ask for anything more. The boy is a very happy child. It's good to know that we still have embryos to use if we want to have more babies. I feel very lucky ".

Biagio is very healthy and lovely.

The couple is part of a continuous test to assess the effectiveness of new screening techniques.

Dagan Wells, Associate Professor at Oxford University, said, "This new genetic screening has great potential in improving infertility treatments."

"Our goal is to bring these trials to all patients who have failed IVF, not just the rich. We are happy to be able to create Next Generation Sequencing for couples who are not born across the UK ".