• 2 de December de 2024
• Posted in Sin categoría

Advantages of the ROPA Method

Among the resources of reproductive medicine is the ROPA method, a valuable option for couples consisting of two women who wish to start their own family.
What makes this method special is that both women actively participate, each contributing to the formation or development of the baby, allowing them to fully experience motherhood.
In this blog, we focus on the benefits available to women who choose this alternative in reproductive medicine.

What are the steps involved in the ROPA method at UR-Crea?¹

UR-Crea ensures high success rates for couples undergoing the ROPA method, provided they have stable uterine health.

1. Ovarian Stimulation: The woman providing the eggs undergoes ovarian stimulation treatment to mature as many eggs as possible, increasing the chances of success.
2. Sperm Donation: An anonymous sperm donor is selected through a matching system to ensure phenotypic and blood type compatibility with the gestational mother, minimizing genetic risks.
3. Endometrial Preparation: The gestational mother undergoes treatment to prepare her endometrium to receive the embryo, ensuring implantation and a full-term pregnancy.
4. Fertilization: Fertilization of the egg with the sperm is carried out in a controlled environment.
5. Embryo Monitoring: Embryologists monitor embryo development under controlled conditions, selecting the embryos with the best success potential.
6. Embryo Transfer: The best-developed embryos are transferred into the uterus of the gestational mother.
7. Pregnancy Test: Approximately 15 days after transfer, a pregnancy test is performed to confirm success.

What are the benefits of undergoing the ROPA method?¹⁻⁴

1. Active Participation: Both women actively participate in the conception and gestation process, with one providing the eggs and the other carrying the pregnancy, strengthening their emotional bond through shared motherhood.
2. Genetic and Epigenetic Connection: The baby has a genetic link to the egg donor, while the gestational mother can influence genetic expression through factors like diet or hormonal changes, known as epigenetics.³ This positively impacts the child’s sense of identity and belonging.
3. Genetic Origin Assurance: The method provides certainty regarding the genetic origin of the eggs. Sperm donors undergo rigorous health and quality testing, including genetic studies, family history, and psychological evaluations.¹
4. Medical Solutions: It offers hope for women who may have struggled with fertility issues, potentially in combination with other reproductive medicine techniques.
5. High Success Rates: Success rates depend on the couple and can be enhanced with complementary treatments like egg or sperm donation and fertility preservation.¹
6. Inclusive Option for Diverse Families: It represents a significant step forward for including same-sex couples in fertility treatments.

Frequently Asked Questions about the ROPA Method²,⁵

Do participants in the ROPA method need to be married?
No, regardless of marital status, since 2006 in Mexico, the Assisted Reproduction Law recognizes both parents as biological mothers, granting them equal legal rights and responsibilities over the newborn.

Can the sperm donor be chosen?
Yes, although the process remains anonymous, donors undergo rigorous health and compatibility tests.

What medical tests are required for the gestational mother before starting the treatment?
Key tests may include:

• Serology studies to rule out infectious diseases.
• Blood tests for metabolic and hormonal values essential for implantation.
• Ultrasound to assess the uterine cavity and rule out interfering pathologies.
• Hysteroscopy to detect uterine abnormalities.
• Endometrial biopsy to identify possible endometrial issues.

How does the ROPA method differ from IVF and Artificial Insemination (AI)?

• IVF involves fertilizing an egg with sperm in the lab to generate embryos that are later transferred to the gestational mother’s uterus.⁶
• AI involves placing pre-selected sperm directly into the uterus for fertilization.⁷
• ROPA inseminates the gestational mother with an embryo formed from her partner’s egg fertilized by a donor’s sperm.

About UR-Crea

At UR-Crea Reproductive Medicine, we have over 30 years of experience offering treatments like in vitro fertilization, ovarian rejuvenation, egg donation, and the ROPA method.
We carry out diagnostic protocols tailored to each patient, ensuring personalized care by a multidisciplinary team of specialists in gynecology, reproductive biology, embryology, perinatology, anesthesiology, and nursing.
We nurture the dreams of those who long to become parents, providing ethical, professional, and human-centered care. Visit us to learn more!

References: 

1. Ur-Crea. Tratamientos. [Internet]. [Internet]. Consulted in October 2024. Available at:   https://ur-crea.mx/tratamiento/metodo-ropa/
2. Ur-Crea blogs. Método ROPA: ¿A quién se parece al bebé? [Internet]. [Internet]. Consulted in October 2024. Available at: https://ur-crea.mx/2024/09/10/metodo-ropa-a-quien-se-parece-el-bebe/ 
3. Reproducción asistida. ¿Qué es el método ROPA? FIV con recepción de óvulos de la pareja. [Internet]. Consulted in October 2024. Available at: https://www.reproduccionasistida.org/metodo-ropa/
4. Epigenética. National Human Genome Research Institute [Internet]. Consulted in October 2024. Available at: https://www.genome.gov/es/genetics-glossary/Epigenetica 
5. Womens. Preguntas frecuentes sobre método ROPA Ur-Crea. Tratamientos. [Internet]. Consulted in October 2024. Available at: https://www.womens.es/preguntas-frecuentes-sobre-metodo-ropa/ 
6. Fertilización in vitro. Ur-Crea. Tratamientos. [Internet]. Consulted in October 2024. Available at: https://ur-crea.mx/tratamiento/fertilizacion-in-vitro/ 
7. Inseminación Artificial. Ur-Crea. Tratamientos. [Internet]. Consulted in October 2024. Available at: https://ur-crea.mx/tratamiento/inseminacion-artificial/