If you and your partner want to become mothers, at IVF-Life we have the right treatment for you. The ROPA method is the assisted reproduction treatment for women couples wishing to become mothers.
What is the ROPA Method?
The ROPA method, or reception of the partner’s eggs, is in great demand among women couples who wish to actively participate in the process of conception, since it makes possible a shared maternity. It is a treatment that we perform on a very regular basis in our clinics in Alicante, Madrid and San Sebastian.
What does the ROPA Method consist of?
This treatment is a technique based on the use of IVF (In Vitro Fertilization) using eggs from one of the women of the couple and sperm from an anonymous donor, in order to form the embryo. The advantage is that the embryo obtained is transferred to the uterus of the woman who has not donated her eggs. Both women will thus become mothers, one being the biological mother and the other the gestational mother.
The mother donating the eggs undergoes a controlled and personalized ovarian stimulation, using the latest stimulation protocols and individualized since not all patients respond in the same way to medication.
Is it possible to choose the donor’s sperm?
Sperm donations in Spain are anonymous, and this is a requirement regulated by law. Therefore, this guarantees that the donor will not be able to know the identity of the baby born, just as the baby will not know the identity of the donor.
In addition to anonymity, the law of Human Assisted Reproduction defines this sperm donation as a voluntary, supportive and altruistic act, which follows a rigorous medical control. The criteria for donation are also defined by this law, which requires exhaustive medical tests to be carried out, including, among others, blood tests and semen analysis.
What does the Spanish legislation say about the ROPA Method?
Fortunately, in Spain we have a legal framework that protects women’s reproductive rights, regardless of their sexual orientation. The Assisted Reproduction Law establishes since 1988 the right of women to create their own family in a free and responsible way, together with the approval in 2005 of marriage between same-sex couples.
In 2006, in order to equalize reproductive rights for female couples, as was already recognized for heterosexual couples, this right was extended by specifying the possibility of resorting to assisted reproduction techniques regardless of their sexual orientation. Undoubtedly, this was a breakthrough towards equal rights and also allowed both women to be recognized as parents of the child.
But despite the above, there is still a long way to go for the total equality of heterosexual and lesbian couples in the field of assisted reproduction. Although the equalization of married couples is total, the same cannot be said for unmarried female couples, who lack legal support because there is no specific legal regulation. They only have two options left: to go to court and request judicial equalization with heterosexual couples or for the biological mother’s partner to initiate a tedious adoption process.
At the moment the couple must be married to be able to register the baby in the name of both, as a common-law couple it would not be possible.
For a successful treatment with the ROPA Method, what steps should you follow?
In order to define and understand the steps to get pregnant through the ROPA method, the fertility clinic must establish constant communication with the patients so that they are aware of the whole process. At IVF-Life, we guarantee to be by your side all the time.
Medical visit: Our medical specialists will study your case to advise you on the entire procedure, recommend the best therapeutic strategy and design your individualized treatment plan, indicating which tests are needed to make your dream come true: becoming mothers.
Ovarian Stimulation: Following protocols adapted to each patient, we perform ovarian stimulation to obtain an adequate number of oocytes to fertilize in the laboratory and obtain a quality embryo, which increases the chances of getting pregnant. After 10-20 days of this stimulation procedure, the follicles will have the ideal size to perform the egg retrieval and extract them.
Ovarian puncture and follicular aspiration: This consists of extracting the mature eggs for in vitro fertilization. It is a minor surgical procedure guided by ultrasound. It is performed in the operation rooms of our clinic, does not require hospitalization and allows the patient to go home after a few hours.
Fertilization and embryo culture: Once we have obtained the eggs, in the IVF-Life laboratory, our embryology team will perform the fertilization using donor sperm previously selected by the medical team.
Our laboratories are equipped with technology capable of monitoring the embryos and generating constant information about cell division and subsequent embryonic development. Thanks to this technology we can select the best embryo with the highest implantation potential and, therefore, increase the chances of achieving pregnancy.
Endometrial preparation: This is a very important step in any fertility treatment, since we must prepare the endometrium to host the embryo. The endometrium is the main responsible for a successful implantation. We must get it to reach an optimal thickness that indicates that it is preparing for the reception of the embryo.
Transfer of the best embryo: The most special moment for patients, as it means the first contact with their future baby. The transfer is a quick and painless process, where the specialist introduces a flexible cannula through the cervix to deposit the embryo.
In our clinics we recommend the transfer of a single embryo. This is due to the fact that we have advanced technology to select the best one, always prolonging its culture until the fifth or sixth day of embryonic development, known as blastocyst stage, and thus eliminating the risks of a multiple pregnancy and its complications.
Vitrification of the remaining embryos: At the end of the transfer, the remaining embryos will be vitrified so that they can be used by the couple in subsequent cycles, without the need to repeat the ovarian stimulation and follicular puncture.
Pregnancy test: 10 days after the embryo transfer, either at the center or by your own, the pregnant mother will undergo a β-hCG blood pregnancy test. With this test, we will be able to verify the success of the pregnancy and we will proceed to give you the rest of the instructions to follow.
If you need more information please fill out this form. We will answer all your questions and advise you on your diagnosis, always attending to each particular case.
ROPA Method Testimonial
Our patients Tina and Hege, share with you their story and how they came to our clinic to fulfill their dream of becoming mothers.
If you need more information please fill out this form. We will answer all your questions and advise you on your diagnosis, always taking into account each particular case.
