The reproductive potential of a healthy woman gradually decreases with age, especially after 35/37 years of age. In fact, if at 25 fertility is around 80%, at 30 it is 70%, at 35 it is 60%, at 37 it drops to 50% and at 42 it reaches a poor 36%.
On occasions, the biological desire to become a mother cannot be achieved naturally, thus assisted reproduction treatments exist to increase the possibilities of pregnancy in couples who suffer from some type of pathology that prevents fertile development, couples who after several months of trying to become pregnant have not achieved it, women without a male partner or simply women who do not have the desire to become a mother at present, but who do have it in the future, so they opt for a fertility preservation treatment.
What assisted reproduction treatments are currently available?
Technological advances have allowed the existence of various assisted reproduction treatments. Some of them are ovarian stimulation, artificial insemination, in vitro fertilization (IVF), oocyte donation, embryo donation or fertility preservation.
– Ovulation stimulation: its objective is to achieve correct ovulation in cases of polycystic ovaries or irregular ovulation.
– In Vitro Fertilization (IVF): this is the most complex treatment, since it is based on the extraction of eggs and inseminating them with sperm in the laboratory and then introducing them into the woman’s uterus to achieve pregnancy. This technique is recommended when the woman is over 35 years of age and when there are diseases such as endometriosis or obstructions in the fallopian tubes.
– Artificial insemination: this is a simple treatment in which ovulation is stimulated while synchronized with the entrance of the sperm into the uterus.
– Ovodonation: in this treatment, a donor oocyte is inseminated with the sperm of the male partner or a donor. It is used in women with few oocytes or when IVF has failed.
– Embryo donation: In this process, frozen embryos from other couples who have successfully undergone IVF are transferred into the woman’s uterus. It is used in cases where IVF has failed or in women without a partner.
– Fertility preservation. It is used in patients who do not wish to become mothers at present but want to become mothers in the future, so eggs obtained from ovarian stimulation are frozen.
How to choose an Assisted Reproduction clinic?
When it comes to choosing a center, there is no list or set of pre-established criteria that indicate one center as better than another. One of the criteria used is the success rate, although there are different factors that can influence the success rate, since, for example, a center of excellence may be attended by more complicated cases that decrease the success of its results, or simply that the number of treatments performed is much higher than that of another center.
However, one of the basic criteria when choosing an assisted reproduction center is the comfort between the couple and the team of specialists, since it is necessary for there to be comfort and connection between both, since it is a process that can be prolonged in time and in which a good state of mind is needed.
The previous study must be adequate, since this will help us to choose the most appropriate reproductive technique for each case.
Which center should I choose if I want to undergo assisted reproduction treatment?
Assisted Reproduction is a set of techniques in continuous progress, both in terms of treatment and diagnosis, increasing the success rate over the years.
For this, perhaps the best option is to opt for a first class center, with a recognized team and with a good success rate. Some of the centers to recommend would be the Institut Marquès, HC Marbella, CERAM, the EGR Medicine Institute, Ginefiv, or CREA, among others. All of them are members of Top Doctors.