- Through a fluorescence study it is possible to detect whether the problem is due to a dysfunction in the oocyte or in the sperm, allowing to establish the best acting protocol.
- Another state-of-the-art technique is “MACS technique” that, compared to other conventional methods, performs a specific selection of sperm with non fragmented DNA, increasing pregnancy chances.
- 14 specialists’ reference points in reproductive medicine on national and international level have taught this course that will be brought to a close today.
Valencia (15-07-11).- A state-of-the-art procedure for the oocyte’s study, offered by the assisted reproduction medical centre CREA in a pioneer way in Spain, detects the cause behind fertilization failure, thus allowing to establish the best acting protocol in view of the couple’s infertility problem.
This is one of the new tools for gametes diagnosis and treatment improving the effectiveness of assisted reproduction treatments, as well as their safety, that has been approached this week in Valencia during a hands-on course set up by CREA under the theme “New tools for gametes study in assisted reproduction techniques”.
Aimed at andrologists, biologists, embryologists and reproductive medicine specialists, this course has been taught by 14 specialists reference points in reproductive medicines of national and international scope, with the aim of teaching the last breakthroughs in this field to the audience.
The students attending this course have learnt to perform a state-of-the-art procedure for the oocytes diagnosis in cases of fertilization failure allowing, through a fluorescent study, to detect the failure’s origin and establishing the best acting protocol in view of the couple’s infertility problem.
According to the Head of Andrology Department and co-director of CREA, Dr. Miguel Ruiz Jorro, “when there isn´t a fertilized oocyte after an In Vitro Fertilization or a Spermatic Micro-injection, the problem might be due to a dysfunction in the oocyte or in the sperm, at first sight it’s impossible to determine the cause”.
To this respect he explained that through this new procedure “the oocytes can be studied to detect the implantation failure’s origin and thus to better advise the couple about the necessity of recurring to donor’s oocytes or semen.”
Moreover, in this course, new techniques for sperm DNA fragmentation’s diagnosis have been taught through different procedures that students were able to practice.
In this sense, it’s worth mentioning the technique of immunomagnetic sperm selection, also known as “MACS technique”, which, compared to other conventional methods, is more safe, effective and simple.
According to Dr. Miguel Ruiz Jorro, patients with fragmented sperm DNA present breakages or injuries in the sperm genetic material caused by the membranes oxydation, provoking failures of conventional assisted reproduction treatments and even repeated miscarriages.
This technique, developed at CREA with the cooperation of Doctor Vanesa Rawe, expert on gametology and world’s reference point for this method, allows selecting the sperm with not fragmented DNA, achieving a higher chance of generating a healthy embryo, with better rate of implantation and normal evolutionary development, besides increasing the technique’s safety. Indeed, Dr. Ruiz Jorro has pointed out that, “60% of the patients presenting fragmented DNA pathology can become parents through this technique”.
This method consists of an immunomagnetic selection of the sperm with fragmented DNA based on the effect of magnetic fields, thus obtaining filtered sperm with a higher chance of being genetically normal.
CREA’s Head of Andrology Department has also emphasized the inconveniences of other conventional techniques, as TESA, which selects the sperm directly extracted from the testicle and not through a simple semen sample.
On his opinion “these techniques, apart from being a nuisance for the patient because are performed by testicular biopsy, implies a selection not specific, obtaining more immature sperm than the ones found in a semen sample”.
The course “New tools for gametes study in assisted reproduction techniques” has been brought to a close today and has been taught by 14 specialists in reproductive medicine. A part from the argentinian Doctor Vanesa Y. Rawe, CREA’s scientific advisor, and several CREA’s specialists, have taken part to it Doctor Jaime Gosálvez, , Professor of Genetics at Universidad Autónoma de Madrid and expert on DNA studies; Doctor Juan J. Tarín, Professor at the Biological Sciencies University of Valencia and expert on the study of cell ageing’s consequences; the expert on reproductive genetics, Dr. Xavier Vendrel, Head of this Unit at Sistemas Genómicos; Doctor José Luis García-Giménez, researcher at Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red de Enfermedades Raras; Doctora Cristina Camprubi Sánchez, researcher at Grupo Impringting y Cáncer of Institut Català d’Oncologia-Intitut d’Investigació Biomèdica de Bellvitge; and Doctor Joan Carles Domingo, of the Biology Faculty of Barcelona.
