ROPA Method

We provide lesbian couples with an option to share the experience of motherhood through our highly qualified specialists.

What is the ROPA method?

In recent years, there has been a growing trend of lesbian couples who want to become mothers and share biological involvement in the pregnancy. For these cases, we implement the ROPA Method.

This method consists of both women in the couple actively sharing the process of In Vitro Fertilization. One provides the baby’s egg as the genetic mother. The other carries the pregnancy as the gestational mother.

What does ROPA mean?

The acronym stands for Reception of Oocytes from the Partner. This technique allows a lesbian couple to have a shared motherhood experience in which both women actively participate.

The main options available to these types of couples who want to become mothers are the ROPA method along with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) using sperm donor.

Who benefits from the ROPA method?

  • Women who want to become mothers and actively participate in the process.
  • Female same-sex couples who have undergone assisted reproduction and one of them has limitations in obtaining eggs due to poor egg quality, hereditary diseases that cannot be detected by PGT techniques, inaccessible ovaries, or absence of ovaries.
  • Also in cases where IVF has failed repeatedly.

The acronym stands for Reception of Oocytes from the Partner. This technique allows a lesbian couple to have a shared motherhood experience in which both women actively participate.

The main options available to these types of couples who want to become mothers are the ROPA method along with Intrauterine Insemination (IUI) and In Vitro Fertilization (IVF) using sperm donor.

 
  • Women who want to become mothers and actively participate in the process.
  • Female same-sex couples who have undergone assisted reproduction and one of them has limitations in obtaining eggs due to poor egg quality, hereditary diseases that cannot be detected by PGT techniques, inaccessible ovaries, or absence of ovaries.
  • Also in cases where IVF has failed repeatedly.

What is the ROPA method procedure?

  • Ovarian stimulation: The patient self-administers daily injections to stimulate the ovaries; instead of producing a single egg, the ovaries produce more. This allows for a greater number of embryos to be obtained and selected for compatibility. The duration of ovarian stimulation is approximately 10 to 20 days, depending on the patient. During this period, ultrasounds are performed to monitor the growth of follicles and determine when the egg retrieval will take place.
  • Fertilization and transfer: After egg retrieval, the eggs are fertilized with sperm from a donor sample. This can be done using traditional IVF or ICSI techniques. The embryos are cultured in advanced incubators until the fifth day of development and are classified based on morphology and division capacity. Embryo transfer involves introducing the best embryo into the mother’s uterus using a specific catheter. The transfer procedure is quick and painless and does not require anesthesia.
  • Vitrification of embryos: High-quality embryos that are not used during the procedure are vitrified for later use in a subsequent cycle, eliminating the need for repeated ovarian stimulation.

What is the relationship between the ROPA method and IVF?

The ROPA method requires a high-complexity assisted reproduction treatment, such as IVF, to fertilize the eggs with a sperm donor. One of the women contributes her eggs, which are then fertilized with the sperm from a sperm bank, and the resulting embryo is transferred to the other woman’s uterus. This allows both women to participate in the process and achieve the desired pregnancy.

Preoperative recommendations

  • Refrain from drinking alcohol or smoking at least 24 hours before the intervention.
  • Fast for eight hours before the intervention.
  • Shower and wash your hair before going to the clinic. Do not wear makeup, nail polish, body creams, oils, or perfumes on the day of the procedure.
  • Wear comfortable clothing.
  • Be accompanied by a responsible person who can provide postoperative care and accompany you when leaving the clinic.

Frequently Asked Questions

The ROPA method generally has good results, depending on the age of the woman who contributes the eggs. Lesbian couples typically undergo this procedure because they both want to participate in the pregnancy. In this scenario they do not have any associated infertility issues. However, the final result depends on the age of the woman who contributes the eggs.

The baby will resemble both members of the couple. The woman who contributes the egg provides the genetic material, and the sperm donor is chosen to match characteristics of the new family. The woman who carries the embryo in her uterus also contributes to the imprinting and DNA modeling, so the baby may resemble both people.

In Argentina, the ROPA method is a regulated treatment. Patients must sign an informed consent form, and the requirements are the same as for any patient undergoing assisted reproduction treatment (basic studies and updated gynecological controls).

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