IVF
The standard way of oocyte fertilization with processed sperm in special culture medium and incubation in a special chamber.
ICSI (Microfertilization)
Fertilization of eggs with implantation of a morphologically good spermatozoon using a micropipette in the cytoplasm of every oocyte. This method has solved to a great extent the problem of male factor infertility.
IUI: INTRAUTERINE INSAMINATION
Improves a relative ‘moderate’ sperm regarding its number and motility. To do an IUI it is mandatory to know that patient’s tubes are patent. It is for patient’s best interest not to do more than 3 IUI attempts. If all three fail it’s prudent to proceed to an IVF cycle.
BLASTOCYST
The culture of embryos for 5-6 days. At this stage usually the embryo is implanted naturally in the endometrial cavity that is the reason why the pregnancy rate rises at 40-50%. To reach this stage of embryo culture we need a sufficient number of eggs retrieved. It is a suitable option in patients with multiple IVF failures, in women with mild or moderate ovarian hyper stimulation syndrome or when we need to do PGD (pregenetic diagnosis) or PGS (pregenetic screening).
FREEZING EMBRYOS
The technique where embryos in variant culture stages can be frozen.
The current freezing embryo technology is called ‘vitrification’and the
pregnancy rates are most satisfactory.
PGD – PGS (Pregenetic diagnosis – screening)
It is the biopsy of embryos. With this procedure we perform a tiny hole on embryo’s wall and we take a small piece called blastomer which does not effect the embryo’s outcome. This procedure help us selecting the ‘healthy‘ embryos to transfer. We offer this procedure to couples with a history of hereditary diseases, like, β-thalasaemia, sickle cell disease, hemophilia, Fanconi anemia, myoskeletic dystrophy and so many others. It is an option also for couples with multiple IVF failures or women well over 40 years of age . The embryo’s biopsy is being done at the Day 3 stage and the healthy embryo is being transferred at the blastocyst stage.
TESE
Testis biopsy for the detection of spermatozoon in men with azoospermia, in other words, without the presence of any spermatozoons in the sperm.
MESA
Epididymis biopsy in order to find spermatozoons. It is recommended to men with azoospermia and atrophic testes.
ASSISTED HUTCHING
The opening of a hole on embryos wall prior to embryo transfer when this wall its detected thick according to the embryologists. It an option offered to women well over 40 and is being said to improve pregnancy rate. No statistical significance has confirmed the above comment.
IMSI
The pre-ICSI selection of morphologically normal sperm under a highly
sophisticated lens which in fact enlarges the spermatozoa by 6000 times.
TIME LAPSE
A well sophisticated closed incubator where the development of the
embryos is 24hourly monitored and analyzed by a connected computer.
This system reassure the selection of the best quality of embryos to be
transferred.
EMBRYO - OOCYTE DONATION
Legislation in our country since 2004 gives the opportunity to women who do not have the ability to produce their own eggs or produce eggs of poor quality to have their own child at some point in their life. These eggs are offered voluntarily by women who present an excess of ovaries during IVF cycles. All this is done with the written consent of the couple who donates and the one who receives the eggs. The donors must be and remain anonymous.
The legal framework in Greece is one of the most liberal in Europe. This allows women who seek the option of using donor eggs or embryos to fulfill their dream to get pregnant rather easily without having to shove in long waiting lists. The egg donor as well as the sperm donor is according to the Greek law always anonymous. They have been checked with blood tests concerning congenital transmitted diseases, karyotype , fragile X , hepatitis B, C , HIV, Cystic fibrosis.
MEDICATION - PROTOCOLS
All women in an attempt to have a healthy child, undergo several modes of treatment depending on the case, others with oral use of tablets and others with subcutaneous injections. My forethought concerns the individualization of each couple’s case and the administration of the indicated treatment with the purpose of best possible stimulation (oocyte production) and, therefore, the capability to choose and transfer the best quality embryos.
