Implantation failure, defined as recurrent embryo transfer failures, remains a mystery because its cause is not always clear. The contractions that take place in the uterus could be one possible explanation for it.
The uterus is a muscle and, as such, it contracts. The intensity and direction of the contractions change throughout the menstrual cycle. Over the first few days, […]
The miracle of conception involves an intimate union between the ova and spermatozoon, appropriate evolution of the fertilised embryo and, furthermore, an ideal environment inside the uterus so that implantation can take place. Whilst this process might seem simple, it is much more complex than we might think, particularly in human beings. Only 30% of our conceptions end in […]
The percentage of pregnancies achieved following assisted reproduction treatment has progressively increased over the years but we still have a long way to go before we achieve optimum results. This is why alternative treatment options that have not already been attempted are taken into account when several courses of treatment have not given a positive result.
It has been […]
Pre-implantation genetic diagnosis(PGD) consists of studying chromosomalabnormalities and genetic abnormalities in the embryo prior to transfer to the mother. Itspurpose is to ensure that children are healthy and to bring thetransmission of a given condition to an end.
Significant progress that has revolutionised this area ofreproductive medicine has been made over the last few years and specificallywith regards to one type […]
The extent of the issue
Obesity is a public health issue both in the general population and in women of childbearing age. The figures are a proof of this and, far from improving, the problem has been getting progressively worse over the last few years.
Maternal obesity in the United States of America was calculated to be 7% in 1980 and had risen up to 24% by 1999. If we take into account both obesity and excess weight, the available data indicates that the figures were 37.1% in 1999 and 40.5% in 2003.
The NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) reveals obesity figures (BMI or body mass index ≥ 30 kg/m2) in women of reproductive age (20 to 39 years of age) of 31.9%.
In other words, one in every three women of a fertile age is obese. […]
When a couple fails to get pregnant or has an unsuccessful pregnancy, a number of tests performed on both partners is recommended. One of the basic tests in analysis of the male partner involves performing a seminogram or spermiogram that provides us with an initial indication of semen quality. This information can be supplemented with a sperm DNA fragmentation analysis, should this be considered necessary.
The DNA fragmentation test is a technique that supplements a study of the male factor in certain cases. […]
A hysterosalpingography is an examination using x-rays and, as its name suggests, it is used for exploring the uterus (hystero-) and fallopian tubes (salpingo-).
The examination is rather uncomfortable but this is remedied by giving the patient some form of pain relief or muscle relaxant before proceeding. An alternative test called a hysterosonography does now exist, too. It is pain free, does not require the use of x-rays and, furthermore, obtains the same results as a hysterosalpingography. Nowadays, hysterosonographies are the preferred choice over hysterosalpingographies. This technique can be performed at Instituto Bernabeu and the results are provided immediately. […]
Spontaneous abortion is defined as an unexpected pregnancy loss before the foetus is viable. In other words, before week 22 of pregnancy and under 500g in weight. The frequency rate of spontaneous abortion is estimated to be between 15 and 20% amongst the general population and it is the most common of all complications during pregnancy.
A small percentage (between 2 and 5%) of cases are recurrent and this is what is known as recurrent pregnancy loss (RPL). […]
Assisted hatching is a laboratory technique that consists of making a small hole in the zona pellucida, the membrane surrounding the embryo, in order to make it easier for the embryo to hatch out (something that naturally needs to happen) and implant in the uterus. […]
Antibodies are proteins produced by the immune system of our organism to combat possible infections of viral or bacterial origin. In some diseases, the immune system produces antibodies that, erroneously, attack the tissues of our own body. The result of this attack is the appearance of what are known as autoimmune diseases. […]
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