IVF EMBRYO GENETIC
In Vitro Fertilization with genetic study of the embryos
WHAT IS IT?
In vitro fertilization with genetic study of the embryos represents the maximum safety conditions in an Assisted Reproduction treatment. It is the combination of an In Vitro Fertilization process with the Preimplantation Genetic Testing (PGT) to select the embryos chromosomically normal or free of hereditary diseases. A biopsy of the embryo is performed before implantation by extracting a small amount of cell material for a genetic study, without affecting the subsequent development of the embryo. This technique reduces miscarriages and increases the chances of success and of achieving a healthy child at home.
IN WHAT CASES IS IT INDICATED?
- Advanced maternal age (> 40 years)
- Repeated miscarriages
- Patients with previous genetic disease pregnancies
- Repeated implantation failures
- Severe male factor (altered FISH)
- Carriers of monogenic diseases (disease caused by a mutation in a point gene) (PGT_M)
- Carriers of chromosomal reorganizations in the karyotype (translocations, inversions …) (PGT-SR)
What are the advantages compared to normal IVF?
Increased probability of implantation and pregnancy.
Reduced risk of abortion.
Increased chance of having a healthy baby.
Increased probability of achieving pregnancy in a single IVF cycle.
STEPS TO FOLLOW
STEPS TO FOLLOW
FIRST VISIT
The first consultation at Embriogyn is essential to meet our fertility gynecologists, who will make an exhaustive study of your medical and reproductive history. In this visit you can provide all the tests and medical results you have. In addition, you will be given a complete gynecological study and a semen study of the couple, in case you have one, in order to make a detailed diagnosis.
OVARIAN STIMULATION
In a woman’s menstrual cycle, only one egg naturally becomes mature. The aim of ovarian stimulation is to achieve more than one mature egg in the same cycle, by administering hormones, and to be able to have a greater chance of pregnancy.
During the stimulation process it is necessary to carry out ultrasound controls (4 or 5) in which follicular growth is controlled. Once the desired size of the follicles is acquired, the hormone that triggers ovulation (human chorionic hormone (HCG)) is administered and the follicular puncture is programmed.
EGG RETRIEVAL
The extraction of the eggs or follicular puncture is carried out in the Centre’s operating theatre under sedation, by means of a transvaginal ultrasound scan. It is a simple operation that lasts between 15 and 20 minutes, in which the liquid from the mature follicles is aspirated to obtain the eggs. The patient is discharged from the hospital between 1 and 2 hours after the puncture.
IVF LABORATORY
Identification and collection of the eggs
At the same time as the puncture is being performed, the biologists look for the extracted eggs in the follicular fluids. The eggs obtained are stored in incubators that will keep them in their optimum conditions. This will be the first step in the control of the Witness system, which will ensure the safety and correct identification of the samples.
Semen preparation
The sperm sample is processed in the Andrology Laboratory to select the spermatozoa with the best motility, morphology and lowest fragmentation rate for use in fertilization techniques. At this point, a second control is carried out by the Witness sample traceability system.
Fertilization technique
When a genetic diagnosis of the embryos must be made, the fertilization technique used is ICSI, to avoid the presence of sperm or cells from the granulosa of the egg (as occurs in conventional IVF), which could interfere with the subsequent genetic analysis.
ICSI (Intra Cytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is the technique that allows us to introduce a sperm into the mature egg. Fertilization rates by this technique are around 75%, and it is a technique that can be applied to very low quality sperm samples.
Assessment of fertilization
After 16-20 hours of ICSI, it is necessary to evaluate if fertilization has occurred correctly. For it to be correct, it is necessary for you to have two polar corpuscles and two pronuclei (one from the egg and the other from the sperm).
Embryo culture, the EMBRYOSCOPE
The EmbryoScope is a state-of-the-art incubator with a built-in camera, which allows the collection of captured images and the generation of a video, providing a great deal of information about the embryonic development. The EmbryoScope allows us to select those of better quality, increasing the probability of pregnancy by 15-20%. The embryos will be cultivated until the fifth day of development when the biopsy of those of good quality, in the blastocyst stage, will be carried out.
EMBRYO BIOPSY
Embryos that reach day 5 of their development forming a correct blastocyst structure will be biopsied.
In the embryonic biopsy, carried out by specialized personnel, several cells are extracted from the external layer that forms the embryo (trophoectoderm), and these will be genetically analyzed. The embryo in this initial stage has the capacity to regenerate and its development is not affected by being biopsied.
EMBRYO VITRIFICATION
The biopsied embryos are frozen just after the embryo biopsy with the vitrification technique. This technique allows the embryos to be kept frozen while waiting for the results of the genetic analysis (3 weeks).
RESULTS
Once we have the results of the genetic analysis of the embryos, the Centre will contact you to arrange an appointment with your head gynaecologist to explain the results obtained and to start planning the transfer of one of the genetically correct embryos.
CRYO-TRANSFER
Cryo-transfer, or transfer of frozen embryos, is a simple procedure, which can often be done in a woman’s natural cycle. It consists of observing the moment of ovulation, and then thawing the genetically correct embryo and transferring it back into the mother’s womb.
The transfer is carried out by means of a catheter which, via the vagina, allows us to reach the bottom of the uterus and deposit the embryo correctly.
PREGNANCY TEST AND ULTRASOUND
The days after the transfer (TwoWeeksWait (TWW)) are days when you have to keep your normal. A positive attitude can help make our dream come true. The pregnancy test is done at home 14 days after ovulation, with the first urine in the morning. If the result is positive, it will only be necessary to check the viability of the pregnancy with an ultrasound scan 3 weeks later.
95% of the patients who do the Embriogyn treatment end up being parents.
More than 97% of patients rate the perception of innovation and technology used as good or very good.
More than 93.3% of patients rate the experience at Embriogyn as excellent.
WHAT DOES TREATMENT INCLUDE?
- Hormone tests during the cycle
- Medical visits and hormonal stimulation controls
- Follicular puncture and anesthesia
- Witness system of security and traceability of biological samples
- IVF lab processes
- Andrology lab processes
- ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection)/IVF
- Embryo culture with Embryoscope technology until day 5/6
- Embryo biopsy on day 5/6
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Embryo Transfer
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B-HCG pregnancy test
- Ultrasound to verify pregnancy
MAKE AN APPOINTMENT
It’s quite simple. All you have to do is contact Embriogyn and make an appointment with our specialists at the time that suits you best. In case you can’t come in person to the clinic, visits can also be arranged via Skype.