Couples made up of two women have the possibility of having a biological child of whom both are legal parents with the CLOTHING method. A method very similar to in vitro fertilization (IVF) with a series of peculiarities that we will discover today.
ROPA or “Couple Oocyte Reception” is an increasingly popular method among women. couples of women who want to be mothers. However, not every couple can undergo this procedure to achieve pregnancy. Find out what the requirements and treatment phases are.
What is the ROPA Method?
The ROPA method is a variant of in vitro fertilization (IVF) treatment that allows shared motherhood in the case of female couples. Both actively participate in the pregnancy, with the aim of achieving a full-term pregnancy, one being the genetic mother and the other the surrogate.
- Genetic mother: It is the one that provides the genetic endowment, that is, the oocytes. She undergoes ovarian stimulation to extract the eggs by follicular puncture. As a general rule, it is recommended that she be the youngest woman in the couple, but the decision is made by the couple..
- Pregnant mother: It is the one that carries the pregnancy. The woman who receives the fertilized embryos and carries the pregnancy to term.
Legal aspects
Can any couple of women undergo the ROPA method? The truth is that no. Only couples of two women who are legally married. In this case it is not enough to be a de facto couple and there is a reason for this,
The reason is stated in Law 14/2006 on Assisted Human Reproduction Techniques, a regulation that allows a person's gametes (cells that have a reproductive function) to be used by them or their spouse. In this way, furthermore, both women are recognized as progenitors, or what is the same, they contract the same obligations and rights with the baby
Phases of treatment
As we have already mentioned, this procedure is very similar to in vitro fertilization (IVF) but has some peculiarities in addition to a higher success rate. Discover the phases of the treatment to know what you will face if you undergo it.
- The first step is to make a custom diagnosis of the case to know the age, the state of health of both women and other personal characteristics. This way, professionals can study the case and suggest the best option to carry the pregnancy to term. Although this will only be a suggestion since the final decision of the role that each of the women will play will depend on them.
- Once the role of each of the women has been determined, the next step will be to submit to ovarian stimulation to the woman who is going to provide her eggs for about 10-12 days. The best time to remove them will be determined by ultrasound and hormonal analysis. The woman will then undergo a very short intervention with mild anesthesia.
- The next step will be to thaw a semen sample from an anonymous donor, ensuring maximum physical similarity with the woman who will receive the eggs. to inseminate the eggs. The embryos generated will be transferred between 2 and 6 days later.
- The pregnant woman must follow hormonal treatment at this point to prepare your uterus in order to implant the embryo.
- Finally, the highest quality embryo will be selected for insert it vaginally into the recipient woman's uterus in a quick and painless process. And what happens to untransferred embryos? They are frozen by vitrification and preserved in liquid nitrogen in the embryo bank to be used in subsequent cycles if a pregnancy is not achieved on the first attempt or if a second baby is sought after success.
- About two weeks after the transfer, the recipient woman undergoes a beta-HCG test to confirm pregnancy.
Did you know the ROPA method? It is a method that many lesbian couples have already opted for and many types of couples are increasingly betting on to seek pregnancy and start a family. A method reminiscent of in vitro fertilization and from which only couples of married women can benefit.