A new method of intracorporeal fertilization, which consists in bringing it directly into the uterus of the future mother, and not in a laboratory, was presented on Wednesday in Katowice.
This is possible thanks to the use of a special silicone capsule created at the Federal University of Technology in Lausanne (Switzerland), which is filled with sperm and egg cells taken earlier from a couple who want to have a child. The capsule is placed in the uterus for 24 hours, during which the cells fuse and the embryo develops early. After 24 hours, the 1 cm long and 1 mm wide pot is removed. Then healthy embryos are selected from it and after 2-4 days they are placed back in the female body.
«This is a real breakthrough in the treatment of infertility in Poland. We are dealing with a situation in which we can fertilize inside a woman’s body, without using a dish and puncturing the eggs »- said Dr. Dariusz Mercik from the Gyncentrum Infertility Treatment and Prenatal Diagnostics Clinic in Katowice, which will use this method.
«The sperm with the egg connects naturally here, and the fertilization process and the subsequent growth of the embryo are stimulated by natural nutrients, not laboratory nutrients. Moreover, the embryo spends the first hours of its development in the womb, that is, in its natural environment created for it by the female organism »- he added.
Since fertilization takes place in a woman’s body, the endometrium, or the lining of the womb, is better prepared for the development of the introduced embryo. Thus, the chances of pregnancy development increase. The method also shortens the time the embryo remains outside of the woman’s body. The psychological aspect is also important. «Most of the process here takes place in the female body. This significantly increases the bond between the mother and future offspring »- says Dr. Mercik.
Treatments using the AneVivo method will be available at the Gyncentrum clinic in Katowice from the end of June. The center – as it informs – implements them as the first infertility treatment facility in Poland and the third in Europe. It is used by clinics in Great Britain and Switzerland. According to the president of Gyncentrum and the originator of bringing the method to Poland, Paweł Czerwiński, it can significantly expand the group of people who will reach for the help of infertility treatment clinics.
«AneVivo for many couples can become an alternative to IVF, especially if, for world-view reasons, they have not even considered the use of assisted reproductive technology so far. In practice, it may have a real impact on the number of pregnancies among couples who have been unsuccessfully trying to conceive for years, ”said Czerwiński.
The first child with AneVivo is expected in Gyncentrum next year, the representatives of the clinic announce.
As reported in January this year by BBC News, this type of artificial insemination has been tested on 250 women worldwide. These observations show that the method is as effective as the classic in vitro method. The British Human Fertilization and Embryology Authority (HFEA), which approved it, however, pointed out that it was too small a group of patients to be absolutely sure.
Until now, two methods of intracorporeal fertilization have been used. One of them is GIFT (Gametes Intra Fallopian Transfer) which involves placing the collected eggs and sperm in the fallopian tubes. The second technique called ZIFT (Zygote Intra Fallopian Transfer) requires obtaining a zygote, which is then transferred to the mother’s fallopian tube.