What is the Ovarian Rejuvenation (PRP) ?
The technique that increases the chances of having a baby with your own eggs
Ovarian rejuvenation is the latest approach to give hope to women who suffer from ovarian ovarian insufficiency (early or advanced maternal age), those who present a poor ovarian response during ovarian stimulation treatment or that their oocytes, once fertilized -without any real reason-, do not divide properly to give good quality embryos.
At the Medimall Clinic, which is among the first clinics in the world to perform ovarian rejuvenation with platelet-rich plasma (PRP) since 2016, we have recorded cases of births following PRP treatment where pregnancy would be impossible.
THE ROLE OF THE "OVARIAN RESERVE" IN UNDERSTANDING FEMALE FERTILITY
Every woman is born with a fixed stock of oocytes in her ovaries – the so-called “ovarian reserve” – which determines the length of her reproductive life and her fertility potential.
The “ovarian reserve” varies considerably from one woman to another: several factors may be at play, such as genetics, lifestyle, environmental impact, medical history etc. For example, this “ovarian reserve” may start to decline from the age of 30 or even earlier and decline rapidly after 40. Ovarian damage can also reduce the follicular reserve. Age is a risk factor for reduced ovarian reserve, but age and reduced ovarian reserve are independent predictors of infertility and therefore of a poorer response to infertility treatment. However, a decrease in ovarian reserve does not mean that pregnancy is impossible.
OOCYTE QUALITY: THE MAIN FACTOR IN CONCEPTION
A large egg pool does not guarantee conception. Some women can have a low ovarian reserve and still have a good chance of becoming pregnant. In any case, the quality of the oocytes is a more important factor in determining a woman’s ability to conceive. It represents the potential of the egg for a healthy pregnancy and baby.
Recommended treatment for women who want to try with their own eggs, ovarian PRP is recommended to be performed one cycle before the IVF treatment (Classic IVF or Natural Cycle IVF).
So, if egg donation is the only recommended way to have a child, the PRP of the ovaries will strengthen the last attempt of any woman who wants to give herself another chance to exploit to the maximum the potential of her own genetic material.
The injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) to the ovaries can activate the ovaries, increasing the number and quality of oocytes obtained and reporting cases of spontaneous pregnancies or even better, after in vitro fertilization.
PRP, which is a portion of the patient’s own plasma with a high concentration of platelets, is obtained after separating the components of a blood sample, in a process called centrifugation. Platelets release a large amount of growth factors, which promote the repair and regeneration of various tissues. Knowing that the development of follicles at very early stages, depends on various growth factors, so the injection of PRP directly into the ovary would increase the concentration of these factors and promote the activation of “dormant follicles”. In some cases, PRP has been shown to improve the quality of oocytes, depending mainly on age.
The treatment procedure is performed under light sedation (a procedure similar to that of an oocyte puncture), after obtaining a blood sample from the patient. The PRP obtained is enriched with biotechnological growth factors and is injected into both ovaries by transvaginal puncture and under ultrasound monitoring, without the need for hospitalization. After the procedure and a short observation period, the patient can leave the clinic. Over the next few days, patients will continue with the prescribed ovarian stimulation treatment or the corresponding follow-up. Please note that since the patient’s own blood is used, there is no risk of rejection or allergies.
