Why do some women have more chromosomally abnormal eggs than average for their age?
• Insight from a study about a gene that regulates normal egg development (in mice) In August 2009 a study was published (article by Lelanda referenced below) showing that mice that had a mutation in a specific gene had significantly higher rate of chromosomal abnormalities than normal. • The gene is called Bub1 • The gene is involved in regulation of the proper division of pairs of chromosomes during the egg maturation process • The degree of the chromosomal problems were found to increase with maternal age • The chromosomal abnormalities were passed on to the embryos and resulted in high rates of loss after implantation • It is not yet known how often a gene mutation like this might cause similar problems with human reproduction • You might think we are very different from mice – but we are not (sorry about that) This study is very interesting and could give insight into reasons for some women having infertility, recurrent IVF failure, or recurrent miscarriages. • Similar research ne
