Miracle Child: How a same-sex couple in Spain gave birth to a baby they both carried

In a piece of positive news, a Spanish same-sex couple has become the first in Europe and second in the world to have a baby they both carried. According to Metro.co.uk, proud parents Estefania, 30, and Azahara, 27, welcomed a boy called Derek Eloy into the world on 30 October in Majorca’s Palma city. While Azhara carried her son for nine months, the egg that went on to produce him was fertilised in Estefania’s womb. Let’s take a closer look. How was it possible? The couple from Spain sought help at a fertility clinic in March to begin their path towards parenthood. Estefania underwent a novel fertility procedure called INVOcell, which involved inserting a tiny, thumb-sized capsule containing sperm and eggs into her vagina, the report said. For five days, it was left in place to allow for in natural fertilisation. The embryos were carefullt examined and chosen before being placed into Azahara’s uterus to continue developing. On 30 October, she gave birth to a healthy boy via a C-section after carrying the child for the complete nine months. Metro quoted a doctor from the team that made the baby’s birth possible as saying, ‘‘The novelty in this process is that both could carry the embryo and share it for as long as needed.’’ The revolutionary fertility treatment, including the required medication, cost the couple over 4,400 Pounds (~Rs 457,909). Estefania told local media, ‘‘Now, I look at him, my partner and I look at each other, and we feel that it’s something that has been within both of us, something we’ve done together. It was a way for both of us to be able to carry him. The idea that I could participate in this way and carry him in my womb was much more exciting.’’ What is INVOcell? The INVOcell, an FDA-approved device that aids in reproduction, is used in this treatment, according to Florida-based INVO Bioscience.

So small, it fits in the palm of your hand. #reinventingIVF #INVOcell #Procreate #askushowitworks pic.twitter.com/lzHtlpk0dm

— Dr Christian Perez (@CMPerezMD) September 28, 2018

The sperm and eggs are housed in an INVOcell, a tiny, cylindrical medical device that is inserted into the vagina to create ideal conditions for incubation. The process of traditional IVF involves fertilising the egg and sperm in a lab, which significantly raises the treatment’s cost. Unlike Effortless IVF, which usually involves one female supplying the egg and carrying the embryo, Reciprocal Effortless IVF involves one female providing the egg and initial incubation environment, while another egg brings the embryo to term in a pregnancy, according to India Today. In addition, the patient chooses how many embryos will be placed in their uterus. Next, the leftover embryos can be frozen for later use. The doctors who do this treatment advise not engaging in any physically demanding activities or any other activity that can alter the vaginal temperature, such using a sauna or bath. How successful is it? The woman’s body is implanted with the INVOcell device, which has proven to be far more cost-effective than lab incubation, the report suggest. A growing number of female same-sex couples are opting for reciprocal effortless in vitro fertilisation. The world’s first twin births occurred in 2018 when two married ladies in Texas became mothers, reported NDTV. The pair had a chance at parenthood when they tried reciprocal effortless in vitro fertilisation with radical technology, which was developed by fertility doctors Dr Kathy and Dr Kevin Doody of CARE Fertility in Bedford, Texas. Conventional IVF typically costs between $14,000 and $16,000 including medicines. With INVOcell, the cost of simple IVF is approximately half that. Who is it best for?

• Patients with a BMI of 34 or below, an AMH of 0.8 or higher, and access to high-quality sperm are the best candidates for INVOcell treatment, as per Times Now.
• Same-sex female couples
• Couples seeking an affordable alternative to traditional IVF treatment
• Patients who are candidates for three cycles of FSH IUI
• Single moms by choice

With inputs from agencies