In our office, we often talk about Couple's Oocyte Reception as this technique is often requested by same sex couples who wish to share motherhood. The technique combines Artificial Insemination (AI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) with donor sperm.
This procedure has become very popular so that women can actively participate in the creation and birth of the baby. The procedure is really simple to explain, it consists of extracting and fertilizing the eggs from one partner and implanting the embryo obtained in the uterus of the other female partner.
Both will be active parts in the development of the embryo, one will be the biological mother (providing the egg) and the other will be the pregnant mother (the one who will support the uterus and give birth)
The process has 5 stages
- Ovarian stimulation of the mother who provides the eggs.
The mother who is going to provide the eggs undergoes the same ovarian stimulation process as in conventional IVF. The ovaries are stimulated with hormones to produce follicles and hopefully get more eggs.
- Follicular Aspiration
When the follicles have reached the appropriate size and it is considered that there is a sufficient number of eggs. This procedure is performed in our operating room under light sedation and only takes about 15 minutes.
- Embryo culture and fertilization
Once the eggs have been obtained, they are fertilized with donor sperm and from here the evolution of the embryos is controlled in our laboratory until their transfer.
- Preparation of the mother who receives the embryo
While the ovarian stimulation of the mother who provides the ovum is being carried out, the endometrial preparation of the intended pregnant mother also takes place. The preparation of the endometrium is carried out by administering a hormonal treatment with estrogens to achieve a correct endometrial thickness.
- Embryo transfer
Once the embryos are ready, the best grade embryo is transferred into the uterus of the recipient mother in the hope of achieving pregnancy.
The high standards of our laboratory guarantees has shown good success rates for this procedure. However, a preliminary evaluation is essential to determine if it is suitable for the couple.
At Panama Fertility we develop the Comprehensive Evaluation Program, which allows us in the first appointment to obtain a prognosis for the couple. We then work on the individualized treatment plan and work within the couples intended budget.
