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For a further year, the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) has summoned a broad group of specialists from Instituto Bernabeu to take part in their scientific round table discussions and debate groups concerning infertility at the largest reproductive medicine and embryology scientific conference held in 2019. Our clinic experts, who contributed their own scientific papers, have thus collaborated in the development of reproductive medicine for a further year.

The new Instituto Bernabeu Group newsletter is now available. Thanks to a flawless technical test and a highly regarded report, our embryo PGT-A (pre implantation genetic test) screening was awarded the top score.

Instituto Bernabeu and the University of Alicante (UA) will manage the 8^th edition of the Master's Course in Reproductive Medicine for the 2019-2020 academic year. The aim is to provide experts from the world of health sciences with excellent and comprehensive training in the field of reproductive medicine.

Students from the 7th Reproductive Medicine Master's Degree by University of Alicante (UA) and Instituto Bernabeu have concluded their 2018/2019 course with a closing ceremony held at the clinic's premises.

Next September 2019 will see a number of renowned, worldwide experts in the different reproductive medicine areas meet at Instituto Bernabeu's III International Meeting the Experts conference. This triennial event is aimed at sharing new fertility related developments and knowledge with the purpose of attaining a renewed approach concerning the most important challenges facing reproductive medicine.

Instituto Bernabeu undertakes vital healthcare work which is supplemented by its participation in congresses and both national and international events. One of this month's most relevant event took place in Cordoba. The 7^th SEF National Meeting of Groups of Interest was held on 7^th and 8^th June. Every two years, the Spanish Fertility Society brings together experts in assisted reproductive medicine in order to share updated ideas and make new contributions across various fields.

The genetics laboratory at Instituto Bernabeu has been awarded the highest possible mark in an assessment of its PGT-A genetics test by an external and independent European organism. The assessment was performed anonymously on 56 European laboratories. The PGT-A test assesses if the embryo is chromosomally normal or aneuploidy. It is recommended for women who are older when having children; women who have a background of recurrent pregnancy loss; and women who have suffered from implantation failure. This test is also recommended for couples who have chromosomal abnormalities.

Leading experts worldwide in the field of infertility will gather in Vienna in June. The event is unmissable for Instituto Bernabeu since the clinic will play an active role and will make research work developed by the clinic public. 

The new Instituto Bernabeu Group newsletter is now available. Our group will be actively present at the 35th edition of ESHRE in June. The scientific committee has accepted 9 clinical studies borne of the team of human resources at Instituto Bernabeu based on our research work that focuses on poor ovarian reserve and embryo implantation failure.

Dr Jorge Ten, Director of the Embryology Unit, participated in a gathering of specialists who debated the main trends in terms of techniques and protocols for treating patients who have a difficult prognosis.

The next 27^th and 28^th September will take place the 3^rd Edition of "Meeting the Experts", the international reproductive medicine conference organized by Instituto Bernabeu.

Instituto Bernabeu has participated in the first edition of the Master's Course in Primary Healthcare at the University Of Castilla La Mancha (UCLM) with an intervention on latest developments in the field of reproductive medicine. The specialist training course is aimed at general practitioners, resident doctors and nursing students and its objectives include increasing participants’ capacity to resolve most of the problems presented by patients who request appointments with their general practitioner, the most proximate level of healthcare. The Master's Course includes updates on the latest developments in terms of diagnosis and treatment in primary healthcare. It is for this reason that gynaecology and reproductive medicine play a significant role.

Leyre Herrero, our Head of Human Biology laboratory in Instituto Bernabeu Madrid, will lead a practical theoretical workshop this Thursday where the protocol Kitazato on vitrification and devitrification will be addressed. The training session will take place in Marbella at the HC International Hospital.

Instituto Bernabeu has been included as a Quality Clinic on the Autonomous Community of Valencia Official Register of Health Clinics. This means that the clinic has been included on the Autonomous Community of Valencia Register of Quality Certifications for Health Clinics, Services and Establishments. It covers, on the one hand, the ISO 9001:2015 certification that the clinic was awarded in January 2016 for ‘Provision of assisted reproduction clinic healthcare, gynaecology consultations and pregnancy control. Performing molecular biology, andrology laboratory, semen bank, oocyte bank and embryo bank activities.’ On the other, the Autonomous Community Register has added UNE-EN 179006:2013 for ‘Management of patient safety risks’, awarded in December 2015.

Research that was carried out by the Genetics Unit at Instituto Bernabeu Biotech and entitled ‘Mosaic segmental aneuploidies in trophectoderm cells do not affect pregnancy rates in cycles of in vitro fertilisation (IVF)’ has been selected as one of the best oral presentations at the 2^nd Human Genetics Interdisciplinary Congress held in Madrid between 3^rd and 5^th April 2019.

The Genetics Department at Instituto Bernabeu was present at the 18^th International Conference on pre-implantation genetics organised by the Pre-implantation Genetic Diagnosis International Society (PGDIS) and held in Geneva (Switzerland) between 15^th and 18^th April. Leading experts in reproductive biology, genetics and embryology met at the event which addressed development of pre-implantation genetic testing (PGT) technology.

Medical Co-Director of Instituto Bernabeu, Dr Joaquín Llácer, and Dr Paolo Cirillo participated in the 2^nd National Congress of the Reproductive Medicine Foundation of Italy (PMA) held in Florence on 21^st and 22^nd March. Dr Llácer, an expert in poor ovarian reserve, gave a conference delivered to specialists in assisted reproduction that addressed the ‘Challenges of treating patients with poor ovarian response.’ 

Instituto Bernabeu participated in the 20^th Human Reproduction Event held in Cuenca on 21^st and 22^nd March and organised by the European Fertility Institute. Reproductive medicine professionals from clinics in Madrid attended the event. The Head of the In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) Laboratory at Instituto Bernabeu in Madrid and Instituto Bernabeu biologist, Iván Ochando, attended the event where participants discussed, debated and were updated on matters within the field of assisted human reproduction.

Instituto Bernabeu in Albacete participated in the Gynaecological Ultrasound Scan Workshop organised by the University of Castilla La Mancha within the framework of its Master's Course in Primary Healthcare. María Antonia López Rubio, a doctor at the clinic in Albacete, was responsible for teaching some of the finer details of clinical practice at Instituto Bernabeu to students on the specialist training course.

The Scientific Director of Instituto Bernabeu Biotech, Dr Belén Lledó, gave a conference entitled ‘The importance of genetics in early diagnosis’ within the framework of the 1st Scientific Event ‘Understanding Disability: the importance of early diagnosis in intellectual disability and neurodevelopmental disorders’ held at Miguel Hernández University (UMH) in Elche. The gathering was organised by the Tempe/ASPA Disability and Employability Chair at UMH. Dr José Antonio Ortiz, Head of the Molecular Biology Department at Instituto Bernabeu, was also present and moderated the lecture.

The congress sponsored by the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the world’s most important gathering for experts in the field has selected three doctors from Instituto Bernabeu for the role of scientific research reviewers. The reproductive medicine clinic participates annually in this essential gathering for leading researchers in the field of fertility by presenting scientific research on infertility, genetics and embryology, amongst others. Furthermore, Medical Co-Director of Instituto Bernabeu, Dr Joaquín Llácer, is a spokesperson on the society’s committee of representatives and the Spanish specialists’ representative at ESHRE until 2020.

The Manager of the Embryology Unit at Instituto Bernabeu, Dr Jorge Ten, gave a lecture on the Master’s Course in Human Reproduction organised by Complutense University in Madrid (UCM) and the Spanish Fertility Society (SEF).

Instituto Bernabeu's gyneacologists specialised in reproductive medicine, participated in the course on Treatment of the Sterile Partner that was held on 1^st March in the Madrid headquarters of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SEGO). The training course is for gynaecologists who are interested in reproductive medicine. It is organised by the Sterility and Infertility section at SEGO and Dr Rafael Bernabeu, Vice President of SEISEGO, addressed the issue of diagnostic guidance.

Instituto Bernabeu in Albacete is actively involved in the community in Castilla La Mancha. Its work includes talks, workshops and courses in which staff from the reproductive medicine clinic participate. Instituto Bernabeu researchers collaborate and participate in the training courses for future specialists and they help to teach them the techniques and processes that are used in reproductive medicine.

In February, Dr Joaquín Llácer, our Medical Co-Director, participated in two events aimed at reproductive medicine specialists. On 2^nd February in the 3^rd Galician and Portuguese Event on Assisted Reproduction, the gynaecologist who specialises in poor ovarian response gave a presentation addressing demeanour when dealing with patients who have a poor assisted reproduction prognosis. Spanish and Portuguese specialists gathered at the event in order to address legislative challenges, the challenges faced by reproductive medicine and some of the field’s ethical debates.

Human Reproduction, a scientific journal, has published research work carried out by Instituto Bernabeu that examines whether or not the number of mitochondrial DNA copies (mtDNA) in human embryos can affect pregnancy rates. The clinic is the first to have performed a comprehensive study of embryo mtDNA linked to IVF results analysing the quantity and quality of the mtDNA.

We have launched a new issue of Instituto Bernabeu corporate newsletter "IB Newsletter". Pregnancy and childbirth guarantee programme or 100% reimbursment.

Instituto Bernabeu research has looked into reducing uterine hypercontractility prior to embryo transfer and if administering Atosiban helps patients with this issue.  The results of the research work entitled ‘Treatment of uterine hypercontractility with Atosiban during embryo transfer’ were presented at the 1^st National Congress of the Spanish Infertility and Sterility Society (SEISEGO).

Instituto Bernabeu researchers have presented experience of a clinical case that describes uterine incarceration, a very infrequent complication during pregnancy. They gave their presentation at the 1^st National Congress of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SEISEGO) that was held within the framework of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics Congress (SEGO). Uterine incarceration occurs during pregnancy when the uterus becomes wedged into the pelvis. There are very few available described cases of this complex and serious condition that is difficult to diagnosis. As such, this study is a very valuable contribution towards improving our understanding of it and advising medical staff about when the symptoms arise.

Dr Rafael Bernabeu, Medical Director at Instituto Bernabeu, has participated in the 20th Intellectual Property and Innovation Congress. The event fosters development in various innovation-intensive industries and it is held at the University of Alicante campus in Calle San Fernando 40. The event is organised by the European Intellectual Property Institutes Network (EIPIN) and it brings together international experts from a wide range of fields of intellectual property, innovation and patents.

We have launched a new issue of Instituto Bernabeu corporate newsletter "IB Newsletter". Rafael Bernabeu Charitable Foundation opens the call for its scholarships for university students endowed with 45.000 euros. Students of Medicine, Nursing, Biology and Biotechnology of Universities from all over the country, that have brilliant trajectories and whose family income is an obstacle to continue their studies.

Azoospermia is one of the causes of male sterility. In order to be able to retrieve spermatozoa in men with this condition, the man has to undergo techniques involving sperm aspiration from the epididymis or testicles, or a testicular biopsy. Although these techniques can be performed at any time and the samples can be cryopreserved for use in the future, with our patients we generally aim to synchronise the procedure with oocyte retrieval. When we do so, the procedure can be performed the day before or the same day as the ovarian puncture that is used to retrieve oocytes from the female partner. Researchers at Instituto Bernabeu carried out a study to find out which of the two days chosen for testicular spermatozoa retrieval gave the best clinical results.  The research work was presented to the 1st National Congress of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SEISEGO) that was held within the framework of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics Congress (SEGO).

A team of gynaecologists, embryologists, molecular biologists and biologists at Instituto Bernabeu has carried out research to determine if there is an increased number of monozygotic twin pregnancies following transfer when an embryo biopsy during the blastocyst stage (day 5 or 6 of development) has been performed. The twins come from a single ovum or single spermatozoon and they have the same genetic make-up. Pregnancies of this kind are also linked to various perinatal complications.

Instituto Bernabeu has presented research work analysing the clinical results obtained in an oocyte donor programme following random-start ovarian stimulation in comparison with conventional ovarian stimulation to the Sterility and Infertility Section of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SEISEGO). Researchers at the reproductive medicine clinic discovered that there are no significant differences between the results and they highlight that this is an advantage for commencing treatment and synchronising the donor and recipient.

The Rafael Bernabeu Foundation has launched the edition of its €45,000 university student scholarship programme.

Embryo aneuploidies are one of the main causes of failure during in vitro fertilisation (IVF) treatment. Most of the errors that lead to embryos with chromosomal abnormalities have a maternal origin and numerous studies suggest that the mother’s age is a decisive factor. Instituto Bernabeu research work that was presented at the 1^st National Congress of the Spanish Infertility and Sterility Society (SEISEGO) has gone a step further. It questions if ovarian stimulation can have an impact on embryo chromosomal abnormalities.

The Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics has published a master’s degree dissertation written by Instituto Bernabeu biologist, Rafael Sellers. The research work entitled ‘Clinical outcomes in elective vitrification of embryos’, was managed by the Director of the Embryology Unit, Dr Jorge Ten.

The research is part of an extensive project submitted to the 1^st National Congress of the Spanish Infertility and Sterility Society

Instituto Bernabeu was present at the 1^st Spanish Sterility and Infertility Congress (SEISEGO) that was held within the framework of the Spanish Society of Gynaecology and Obstetrics (SEGO) event. Dr Rafael Bernabeu, Medical Director of the reproductive medicine clinic, is the society’s vice president and, as a prominent expert in the field, he opened the congress by moderating the first round table debate entitled ‘Updates in the basic analysis of the sterile partner’ along with Ana Belén Rodríguez.

Dr Andrea Bernabeu, a gynaecologist at Instituto Bernabeu, has assessed the most significant clinical data presented to the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) congress and their importance.

Research is our lifeline. Each and every step is an accomplishment in prognosis for patients who have all the odds against them. In its October edition, Human Fertility, the prestigious scientific magazine mentioned research work undertaken exclusively by Instituto Bernabeu scientists that opens the doors to accelerating diagnosis in patients who have experienced implantation failure and recurrent pregnancy loss. It also helps prognosis with a view to providing early treatment for these patients.

The Rafael Bernabeu Welfare Foundation participated in the 4^th edition of the National Rare Diseases Congress held in Ibi, a municipality of Alicante, on 30^th and 31^st October. It addressed the role of assisted reproduction treatment in avoiding transmission of genetic disorders. The congress aims to give people with rare diseases and experts in the field visibility, as well providing a forum for sharing information and analysis.

Dr Andrea Bernabeu, a gynaecologist at Instituto Bernabeu, participated in the ‘Family Medicine: the present, the past and the future’ symposium held on 26^th October. It was organised within the framework of the 36^th National Congress of Medicine Students (CNEM), 14^th international edition, held in Alicante between 24^th and 26^th October. This collaboration falls within the framework of the Instituto Bernabeu and Miguel Hernández University (UMH) Chair of Reproductive and Community Medicine. One of the main objectives of the Chair is to ensure primary prevention of infertility and to provide general practitioners, gynaecologists and the general population with information on fertility. 

Instituto Bernabeu actively participated in the workshops on reproductive medicine held in Castilla La Mancha, Albacete, on 19^th and 20^th October. The workshops were sponsored by Ferring. The aim was to share knowledge and latest updates. Lydia Luque, a gynaecologist and head of the clinic in Albacete, presented the event. It involved participation by doctors and biologists from 4 private clinics as well as an additional four specialist hospitals located in the Castilla La Mancha area that have human reproduction departments. “The aim was to review, refresh and share knowledge in order to progress, improve processes and improve management,” summarises Dr Luque.

Andrea Bernabeu, a gynaecologist at Instituto Bernabeu, coordinated the Personalisation and Individualisation of Reproductive Medicine Treatment workshop held in Valencia. Dr Bernabeu was part of a group of experts who participated in the 3^rd edition of the Clinical Workshops on Reproductive Medicine. Specialists from different clinics shared their knowledge and updates based on scientific and clinical evidence. The aim was to improve approaches to patients. 

The President of the Rafael Bernabeu Foundation and Medical Director of Instituto Bernabeu presented six scholarships for a total amount of 15,000 euros to students with excellent academic results and limited financial resources in order to help them continue with their studies. Within the framework of its commitment to society, the Rafael Bernabeu Foundation awarded scholarships worth 2,500 euros each to six medicine, nursing and biotechnology university students in order to cover the cost of fees and study material.

Instituto Bernabeu once again participated in the Congress of Pharmacy Students (CEFA). It held its 14^th edition this year. Future pharmacists got to know the Instituto Bernabeu clinic headquarters in Alicante and gained first-hand knowledge of the role that pharmacists play in assisted reproduction treatment.

In addition to its patient treatment, healthcare and research work, teaching is part of Instituto Bernabeu’s DNA. This month, Instituto Bernabeu will participate in a postgraduate course run by Castilla La Mancha University for pelvic floor specialists. The course is aimed at physical medicine and rehabilitation experts in order to give them a comprehensive view of pelvic floor pathologies.

Instituto Bernabeu and the Faculty of Pharmacy at the University of Castilla La Mancha (UCLM) are organising the 3^rd edition of the Master’s Course in Male Infertility that will be given at UCLM and at the reproductive medicine clinic. The aim is to broaden knowledge of reproductive medicine and the focus will be on the issues that men have when trying to conceive and the fact that this factor is equally as significant as infertility in women.