The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Opsora, a 3.2 kilogrammes frozen embryo baby was born for the first time in Bangladesh medical science history at 2:15 pm at Modern Hospital in the city's Dhanmondi area yesterday.

Salma Begum and banker Afzal Hossain have got their first baby Opsora by a surgery after Opsora being in her mothers, womb for 37 weeks.

A five-member team of Dhaka Medical College Hospital led by Assistant Professor of gynaecology and obstetrics department Dr Rashida Begum conducted the operation.

Dr Rashida Begum told the reporters at a press briefing that the couple Salma Begum (36) and Afzal Hossain, who have been married for five years decided to take the frozen embryo baby after heart and soul endeavour for getting a baby through natural means.

"They have taken decision to take a baby through test tube in 2007. But the first attempt failed," she said.

"A total of 14 embryos were born in the first frozen test-tube baby attempt last year. Three embryos were transferred to the uterus of Salma in September last year. But she failed to conceive," Dr Rashida said.

"Eleven embryos were kept frozen for four months. Four frozen embryo was placed in the uterus of Salma in January this year," Dr Rashida said.

No complexity arose during the whole process starting from implanting the embryo in Salma's uterus to the birth of the baby.

Dr Rashida said she had failed in five attempts to make a woman give birth to a baby from frozen embryo.

"In my six attempts, I have succeeded to make a women give birth to a baby," she proudly said and added, "It was a milestone in the country's medical science."

"In the medical science, we have possibility only 20 percent to 25 to make it possible through the process. We have got success in this case," the assistant professor of Dhaka Medical college pointed out.

Dr Rashida said that Opsora is doing well. During birth, Opsora's weight was 3.2 kilogrammes.

Anyone shall become parent through the process by spending Tk 2 lakh to Tk 2.5. In this case, Salma and Afzal spent Tk 2.65 lakh on the entire procedure - the test tube baby treatment cost them Tk 2 lakh and they spent Tk 65,000 on preservation of frozen embryo and its implant.

Dr Rashida said in the test-tube baby treatment the embryos in excess are kept in liquid nitrogen at minus 196 degrees Celsius temperature by a specially programmed machine in a special jar. Later, the frozen embryo is transferred to the uterus.

She said the first frozen embryo baby was born at Queen Victoria Medical Centre in Melbourne, Australia in 1984.

In Asia the first such baby was born in Singapore National University Medical Centre in 1987.

The record for a baby born from a embryo kept frozen for the longest time is 13 years.