Written question asked by Lord Alton of Liverpool (Crossbench), in the House of Lords. It was answered by Baroness Thornton (Labour) on Wednesday, 16 December 2009.

Embryology

Question: To ask Her Majesty's Government further to the Written Answer by Baroness Thornton on 9 November (WA 111) and the ensuing letter from the Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) Legal Advisor on 7 December, whether the polar body of an egg is identified as identical to or distinct from the blastomere of an embryo according to paragraph 14.24 of the HFEA's Code of Practice (6th Edition) and the Journal of Histochemistry & Cytochemistry, Volume 53, Issue 3, pages 255–60.

Answer: The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Authority (HFEA) has advised that it would not be accurate to describe the polar body of an oocyte that contains a pronucleus as equivalent to the blastomeres of an embryo that contain nuclei. The HFEA has also advised that it has never identified the polar body of an egg as being identical to the blastomere of an embryo. The content of professional body guidelines is a matter for the professional bodies themselves and not the HFEA.

Secondary information

Type: Written question
Reference: 675; 715 c236WA
Session: 2009-10
Related items: Embryology
Tuesday, 19 January 2010
Written questions
House of Lords; Embryology
Monday, 9 November 2009
Written questions
House of Lords
Subjects: Human embryo experiments
Link: View this Written question on www.publications.parliament.uk