Normally, a single egg is produced during a woman’s natural cycle. Ovarian stimulation consists of administering hormones by subcutaneous injection to obtain more eggs. The entire process is monitored by a series of ultrasound scans, for which our specialists are available seven days a week to do. Depending on the type of protocol used and the rapid response of the ovary, the duration of the process will vary between 10 and 12 days.
Once the follicles reach the appropriate size and number, a hormone called HCG is administered to complete the maturation of the eggs. Approximately 36 hours after administering the HCG, the mature eggs can be aspirated from the ovary.

This procedure consists of the aspiration of the mature oocytes using ultrasound guidance and administrating a gentle sedation to the patient so that she does not feel any type of discomfort. This minor procedure usually takes about 15 minutes.
On the day of this procedure it is recommended not to carry out activities that require a lot of effort, or to be fully alert, such as driving, even though you may feel perfectly well, it is advisable to just relax and take it easy.

Once the eggs have been obtained, they are inseminated with the semen from an anonymous donor which has been previously prepared in the laboratory.
Here at Clínica Fertia we work with the main semen banks in our country, this allows us to select the donor sample that best fits the physical characteristics (race, eye colour, hair, height, weight and blood group) of the couple. And it also offers the option of genetic matching between the semen donor and the genetic mother.
Fertilisation can be carried out by classical IVF, for this the biologist puts each oocyte in contact with some 25 to 50,000 previously selected sperm, and lets fertilization occur unaided or by ICSI, which consists of introducing a single sperm into the cytoplasm of the ovule by puncturing it with a fine pipette.

The embryos are cultured and monitored in the laboratory for several days (from 2 to 6). For this, we use modern incubation techniques to monitor its evolution in real time (morphokinetics). We have incubators equipped with time lapse technology, which incorporates an image capture system, which allows us to observe the embryos development from their fertilization until the moment of transfer to the uterus, without having to remove them from the incubator. In this way, the culture conditions are more stable, which means an improvement in embryo quality. In addition, this technology facilitates the selection of the best embryos to transfer and freeze.

This is usually carried out in parallel to the cycle of stimulation of the genetic mother.
In the first place, we make sure to achieve the cessation of ovarian activity in the recipient, for which we normally use contraceptives or a single dose of GNRH analogues, except in women who are already in the menopause stage in which case, this is not necessary.
Next, an oestrogen substitution regimen is started, either orally or through transdermal patches, to ensure adequate preparation of the endometrium, where the embryos will be deposited. During this process, one or two ultrasounds will be performed to verify that the endometrium has reached the desired size. This phase usually lasts about two weeks.

This consists of the introduction of the embryos inside the uterine cavity. To do this, a speculum is placed in the vagina and a fine cannula is inserted that carries the embryos which are deposited in the uterus under ultrasound guidance. This process is quick and painless.
After the transfer we recommend relative bed rest during the rest of the day and the following day, after which the woman can return to her usual activities.
Our only recommendation is to avoid vigorous physical activities and sports during the two weeks after the transfer. Travelling and driving are not seen as a problem.

Once the transfer has been carried out, the rest of the good quality embryos are preserved in liquid nitrogen in order to be used in subsequent cycles without the need to carry out the entire process again.
Currently, in the Fertia clinic laboratory we use the Vitrification or ultra-fast freezing technique.

12 days after the embryo transfer, a BHCG (pregnancy) test will be done on the future birth mother to confirm the pregnancy.
Alternatively a urine test can also be done 14 days after the embryo transfer.
Until the pregnancy is confirmed, the medication prescribed on the day of the embryo transfer must be continued.

15 days after performing the BHCG analysis, an ultrasound is performed to confirm the number of embryos that have implanted and the gestational sac with the embryo inside can be visualized with the presence of a foetal heartbeat. On occasions the heartbeat can be visualized 7 days after the analysis.