受精卵検査、来年にも大幅拡大　数千人対象に研究―産科婦人科学会

　日本産科婦人科学会は７日、体外受精した受精卵の染色体の数を全て調べ、異常がないものを子宮に戻す検査「着床前スクリーニング」の臨床研究について、対象者の条件を緩め、数千人規模に拡大した本格的な研究を来年から始めると発表した。
　検査には「命の選別」との批判がある。学会は実施を禁じてきたが、流産率を下げる効果の有無などを調べる臨床研究に限って解禁。本格研究に先立つ小規模研究では、４施設が約８０人で実施し、比較のため検査を受けず移植するグループも設けた。
　本格研究では施設数は数十以上になる見通しで、３５００人以上を集める。研究に参加する条件のうち、対外受精に失敗した回数は３回以上から２回以上に緩和。費用は参加者が負担し、比較のためのグループは設けない。（2019/12/07-21:56）

Japan will drastically expand its clinical study on genetic screenings of fertilized eggs to newly cover several thousand women, the Japan Society of Obstetrics and Gynecology has said.
   More than 3,500 women at dozens of medical institutions will take part in the expanded study on preimplantation genetic screenings, which check eggs fertilized in vitro for chromosome abnormalities and put back into the uterus only eggs without abnormalities.
   The medical society long banned the screenings, which are often criticized on ethical grounds. But it eased the rule to accept only clinical studies, including those to check their effects in reducing the risk of miscarriage.
   The society has started a small-scale clinical study involving 80 women at four institutions. For comparison, the society created another group of women and transplanted into them fertilized eggs that were not put through the screenings.
   In the upcoming large-scale study, the society will gather more than 3,500 women by easing participant qualifications.