Embryo loss (also known as embryo death) is the death of an
embryo
An embryo ( ) is the initial stage of development for a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male sp ...
at any stage of its
development
Development or developing may refer to:
Arts
*Development (music), the process by which thematic material is reshaped
* Photographic development
*Filmmaking, development phase, including finance and budgeting
* Development hell, when a proje ...
which in humans, is between the second through eighth week after fertilization.
Failed development of an embryo often results in the disintegration and assimilation of its tissue in the
uterus
The uterus (from Latin ''uterus'', : uteri or uteruses) or womb () is the hollow organ, organ in the reproductive system of most female mammals, including humans, that accommodates the embryonic development, embryonic and prenatal development, f ...
, known as embryo resorption. Loss during the stages of
prenatal development
Prenatal development () involves the development of the embryo and of the fetus during a viviparous animal's gestation. Prenatal development starts with fertilization, in the germinal stage of embryonic development, and continues in fetal de ...
after
organogenesis
Organogenesis is the phase of embryonic development that starts at the end of gastrulation and continues until birth. During organogenesis, the three germ layers formed from gastrulation (the ectoderm, endoderm, and mesoderm) form the internal org ...
of the
fetus
A fetus or foetus (; : fetuses, foetuses, rarely feti or foeti) is the unborn offspring of a viviparous animal that develops from an embryo. Following the embryonic development, embryonic stage, the fetal stage of development takes place. Pren ...
generally results in the similar process of
fetal resorption
Fetal resorption (also known as fetus resorption) is the disintegration and assimilation of one or more fetuses in the uterus at any stage after the completion of organogenesis, which, in humans, is after the ninth week of gestation. Before organog ...
or
miscarriage
Miscarriage, also known in medical terms as a spontaneous abortion, is an end to pregnancy resulting in the loss and expulsion of an embryo or fetus from the womb before it can fetal viability, survive independently. Miscarriage before 6 weeks ...
. Embryo loss often happens without an awareness of
pregnancy
Pregnancy is the time during which one or more offspring gestation, gestates inside a woman's uterus. A multiple birth, multiple pregnancy involves more than one offspring, such as with twins.
Conception (biology), Conception usually occurs ...
, and an estimated 40 to 60% of all embryos do not survive.
Moral status
There is considerable debate about the moral status of human embryos. These debates are important in relation to abortion and IVF. Some argue that fetuses have the same moral status as infants, children, and adults.
However, critics claim that this view is morally inconsistent due to the frequency of embryo loss/miscarriage/spontaneous abortion in general population.
Some say that the debate ignores an important biological feature of human embryos, the fact that most human embryos die, before even doctors know they exist.
Fertility clinics
Within
fertility clinic
Fertility clinics are medical clinics that assist couples, and sometimes individuals, who want to become parents but for medical reasons have been unable to achieve this goal via the natural course. Clinics apply a number of diagnosis tests and ...
s embryo loss is associated with a high number of
implanted embryos.
The keeping of embryos in tanks can also increase risks of loss in instances where technical malfunctions can occur.
See also
*
Perinatal death
Perinatal mortality (PNM) is the death of a fetus or neonate and is the basis to calculate the perinatal mortality rate. ''Perinatal'' means "relating to the period starting a few weeks before birth and including the birth and a few weeks after bi ...
*
Reproductive loss
*
Early pregnancy loss
Early pregnancy loss is a medical term that when referring to humans can variously be used to mean:
* Death of an embryo or fetus during the first trimester. This can happen by implantation failure, miscarriage, embryo resorption, early fetal ...
References
Further reading
*
{{Pathology of pregnancy, childbirth and the puerperium
Pregnancy with abortive outcome
Embryology