From lost hope due to early menopause, to the happiness of having a healthy child with the help of donated oocytes and MedLife doctors: the touching story of Ionela, who became a mother at the age of 35 through in vitro fertilization.
There are more and more women who are faced with the challenge of having a child after they enter menopause early, before the age of 40, and find that they are no longer able to conceive. Among them is Ionela A., who told us about the decision to opt for in vitro fertilization (IVF) with donated oocytes and how she managed to fulfill her dream of becoming a mother almost a year ago. Ionela benefited from the expertise Dr. Dragos Albuprimary care obstetrician-gynecologist and coordinator of the MedLife Center for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Assisted Reproduction, who helped her become pregnant through IVF with egg donation.
Struggle with infertility
More than 10 years ago, Ionela was admitted to a hospital in Bucharest for a series of thorough investigations. Then she found out that the probability of getting pregnant is extremely low. “However, I did not lose hope and believed in my dream of becoming a mother. I also went to a private practice, where I was told that I only have a chance of getting pregnant with donated eggs. At that time, the procedure was not done in our country and we gave up. However, inside of me, I knew that when we were ready we would take this step. And so it took a few years before my husband and I decided it was time to give it a try.” says Ionela.
“Premature ovarian failure (POI) occurs when a woman’s ovaries stop working before age 40,” explains Dr. Dragoș Albu. In this situation, menstrual cycles become irregular and stop. About 1% of women are affected.
3 years ago, Ionela entered menopause and found out that she could no longer have children from her own oocytes. That’s how it ended up in MedLife Center for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Assisted Reproduction. “In June 2021, on a day we will never forget, I arrived at Dr. Dragoș Albu. I had received the recommendation from a very good friend, whom she had helped to get pregnant through IVF, after about three failed attempts both in the country and abroad.” remembers Ionela.
Treatment options for infertility
As soon as they stepped into the cabinet, Ionela and her partner felt that they had made the right choice. They had full confidence in the experience of the MedLife doctor when they made the decision to undergo the in vitro fertilization procedure with donated oocytes. “Mr. Dr. Albu calmly listened to our story and guided us with warmth and professionalism. Then followed a second visit with the results of the tests you recommended, and then he explained to us what options we had and what our chances of success would be for both ovarian stimulation and IVF with donated oocytes. I opted for the IVF option with donated oocytes because the chances of success were clearly much higher”, Dr. Albu’s patient scores.
MedLife doctors: what IVF with donated oocytes entails
For women with premature ovarian failure who want to get pregnant, using donated eggs may be the only option to get pregnant. These can be obtained from oocyte banks. “An egg from a fertile woman is donated to an infertile woman for use in an assisted reproductive procedure such as IVF. The egg is fertilized with the semen of the recipient’s partner, an embryo is obtained which is cultivated in the laboratory until day 5 (blastocyst stage), then it is transferred to the recipient’s uterus. explains Dr. Dragoș Albu.
The oocyte donors are aged between 21 and 34 years. By setting a minimum age for the donor, it ensures that she is mature enough to understand and give informed consent. The reason for the upper limit is that younger women usually respond favorably to ovarian stimulation, produce more eggs and high-quality embryos with a higher chance of implantation. They also have higher pregnancy rates than older women.
Donors complete an extensive medical questionnaire about their personal and family medical history. All oocyte donors are tested for infections and diseases that can be transmitted to either recipients or offspring. Minimum laboratory testing of all donors includes testing for syphilis, hepatitis B and C, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV-1 and HIV-2), gonorrhea, and chlamydia, as well as screening for the most common genetic diseases. In the case of a positive test, the donor is not eligible. A doctor reviews this history with the donor and performs a comprehensive physical exam.
At the same time, with the help of a psychologist, the donor’s motivation to donate her oocytes is evaluated and an insight into the donor’s personality, hobbies, educational environment and life goals is provided.
The use of donated oocytes as a therapeutic option
This procedure is often used in women whose ovaries are either malfunctioning or have had their ovaries surgically removed. Impairment of ovarian function may be due to premature menopause, severely diminished ovarian reserve, medical conditions, or exposure to toxicants such as chemotherapy or radiation therapy. Egg donation is also suitable for women who were born without ovaries.
Other indications for oocyte donation have emerged in recent years. Dr. Albu specifies: “It can also be used to avoid the transmission of genetic diseases from mother to child. Egg donation is also recommended for young women who have normal ovulation but poor quality eggs. For example, patients who have had several failed IVF cycles, those with advanced reproductive age (over 38 years) or those with poor response to ovarian stimulation”.
What should a patient expect during the IVF process with donated oocytes
The evaluation of the oocyte recipient couple is similar to that of couples undergoing routine IVF. The doctor should obtain a complete medical history from the recipient and her partner (if there is one). Evaluation of the recipient includes gynecological history and a complete physical examination. Evaluation of the male partner (if present) includes a semen analysis, blood type and Rh, and possibly genetic screening. All recipients (female and male) are tested for syphilis, hepatitis B and C, HIV-1 and HIV-2.
Dr. Dragoș Albu, coordinator of the MedLife Center for Maternal-Fetal Medicine and Assisted Reproduction: “A medical file is drawn up that must be approved by the Donation Commission in the hospital and the National Transplant Agency, then the oocyte request is made to the oocyte bank. On average, the process takes about two months until the oocytes from the oocyte bank reach our clinic.”
For Ionela, the implementation of the treatment scheme followed, in strict compliance with the recommendations received from the doctor. “I can’t say it was easy, but the thought that we could have a baby was so empowering and I felt it was worth every bit of it. Arriving on the day of the transfer, we found out that there were two embryos left of not very good quality. On the doctor’s recommendation, I transferred them both. Thus, the chances of success were higher”, says the new mother.
The clinical pregnancy rate with donated oocytes is 57%
Pregnancy rates with donated oocytes are generally high, over 50%. According to Dr. Dragoș Albu, they can be increased “by improving the parameters of the spermogram, by creating the optimal conditions for implantation of the embryo resulting from the in vitro fertilization procedure and by a laboratory procedure that is as efficient as possible”.
Ionela remembers the moment when she received the beta-hCG result, which confirmed the pregnancy: “Obviously, we knew it was a positive result, but we couldn’t believe it. We were practically afraid to enjoy ourselves. After two weeks I went to the ultrasound, to the doctor, and I heard his heart for the first time. It was magical. I still couldn’t believe that I was part of this miracle, to feel a new life inside me.”
Dr. Dragoș Albu says that, in general, the pregnancy with donated oocytes proceeds normally, without additional risks compared to the pregnancy conceived spontaneously, but the age of the recipient patient must be taken into account in the follow-up of the pregnancy.
“I came regularly for check-ups, to the doctor, up to 3 months, then to the lady Dr. Alina Oprea, with whom I also gave birth. I continued to pay attention, thinking that everything I do also involves the baby. Towards the end, we decided together with the doctor to have a caesarean section. We were a bit scared because the baby had not gained any weight in the last two weeks, but in the end everything was fine.” says the young mother.
Arriving on the day of the operation, Ionela was overwhelmed by a pile of emotions, being impatient to meet her baby. “The long-awaited moment has come, to meet my miracle. I can’t describe how I felt when I heard that long-awaited cry and skin-to-skin contact. It is something truly unique. The feelings are far too strong to put into words. They remain in my mind and soul for life. Every time I think about the moment of birth, I relive those moments and feel the need to thank God for giving me the chance to know this feeling of motherhood.”
The people behind medical performance
The new parents’ gratitude goes to the MedLife medical team that helped them bring their own miracle into the world. “God gave us a miracle that, without Dr. Albu, would not have been possible. In fact, the entire medical team at MedLife Maternity was extraordinary. We are truly grateful for the performance of this medical team.”
For the team of doctor Dragoș Albu, these medical successes, in cases often considered hopeless, are the engine that supports their professional efforts. “The fact that the performance of reproductive medicine is constantly improving and that we are increasingly able to find solutions in situations that some time ago had no chance gives us the confidence and motivation to continue our efforts to improve our work.”
2023-06-30 10:43:13
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