You only need to visit to Ginemed once.
The pre-treatment tests can be sent by email, fax or brought to the free initial information consultation.
We evaluate your results and programme the treatment for the date of your choice.
The treatment controls can be done in your home country.
Treatment stages
At Ginemed, we adapt perfectly to your needs:
- As soon as possible. We will start the ovarian stimulation with your next menstrual cycle
- On a specific date for the embryo transfer. This gives you time to organise your trip, reserve hotels and plan your days off work, etc.
The stimulation begins on the 2nd or 3rd day of your menstrual cycle. There a number of different protocols (long and short) but the aim of all of these is to stimulate the production of mature eggs. This stimulation usually lasts 10 days, during which 3 ultrasounds are required. When the optimum follicle size has been achieved, we move on to the final maturation and the egg retrieval takes place between 35 and 38 hours later.
Egg retrieval is carried out vaginally. A sedation is used. The aspirated liquid is processed immediately by our laboratory in order to obtain the eggs. This same day the concentration and capacitation of the donated semen sample is processed by our laboratory in order to select the best quality spermatozoids.
Fertilisation is normally done using intra-cytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), which consists of introducing a spermatozoid into the egg using a micro needle. Following the fertilisation of the eggs, the embryos remain in the laboratory for a few days until the embryologist determines the best moment for the transfer. In some cases, to improve results, special laboratory techniques can be used.
This consists of placing the embryo into the uterus through a thin catheter introduced into the cervix. It is not painful and is normally carried out 2-6 days following the egg retrieval; usually on the third day. Spanish legislation allows up to three embryos to be transferred.
Following the embryo transfer, we recommend that you rest for the remainder of the transfer day and only carry out relaxed activities the following day; later you can return to normal life. There are no problems with transport, including travelling by plane. We recommend avoiding strenuous activities and competitive sports for two weeks after the transfer. Normally, we prescribe a treatment of vaginal progesterone, beginning the day of the egg donation. We also recommend taking folic acid.
12 days after the embryo transfer, a blood analysis (B-HCG) is carried out to confirm the pregnancy. Do not suspend the medication without instruction from your gynaecologist regardless of the results.
15 days after the B-HCG analysis, an ultrasound scan must be carried out to confirm the gestation (single or multiple) and to confirm the presence of a fetal heartbeat.
Sperm donors
Sperm donation is a voluntary, anonymous and altruistic act and therefore Spanish law does not allow the recipient to provide or choose their own donor.
We are only able to provide general information about the donor (and never reveal their identity).
All donors must be of legal age and have passed a series of tests to rule out: immunological, genetic and hereditary illnesses, and infectious and transmissible diseases.
The responsibility for selecting the donor lies with the medical team, who are duty bound to find the donor who best meets the characteristics for each individual case.
Neither the woman, nor her partner (if she has one) can refute parentage of any child born.
In Spain, The maximum number of children born from each donor is six.
Embryo vitrification
Any viable pre-embryos, which have not been transferred, must be vitrified (Act 14/2006).
Vitrification consists of freezing the pre-embryos instantaneously; this prevents the formation of ice crystals and, as a result, the risk of damage to the cellular structures of the embryos when they are thawed practically disappears.
Thanks to the advanced vitrification techniques that Ginemed uses, the survival of the pre-embryos during the thawing, following vitrification, is practically 100%.
We are obtaining practically identical pregnancy rates in vitrified cycles as we are in cycles using fresh embryos.
Results
At Ginemed, we have pregnancy rates of around 50% in IVF-ICSI treatments, these are pregnancies confirmed by a fetal heartbeat via ultrasound control.
Results depend greatly on the age of the woman and other relevant factors that might have indicated this as the treatment of choice.
