Mitochondrial donation??

[Mel77]

From what I initially read, mitochondria are present in almost all human cells, including eggs. They create most of a cell’s energy supply which powers every part of our body. For any cell to function, the mitochondrial genes need to work properly. Mitochondria with gene abnormalities can cause severe medical disorders known as mitochondrial disease. In both MST and PNT, the resulting embryos would contain your and your partner’s (or sperm donor’s) genetic material, so they would be your biological children. Both techniques work equally well.A woman who donates their eggs and/or embryos for use in other women’s mitochondrial donation treatment will NOT BE the genetic parent of the resulting child!! This is because the mitochondria that they provide makes up less than 1% of the child’s genetics. For this reason, they will not have any legal rights or responsibilities over the child and they remain anonymous.

Has anybody out here tried the option and can share experiences?? TIA

[Karinyaa]

Thanks for sharing. I've read quite a lot about mitochondrial donation on different sources. The procedure is becoming more and more popular. No wonder why though. Unfortunately women of ripe age who are trying to become parents through ivf meet failures quite often. It's known that medical statistics confirms that at this age it's more difficult for a woman to get pregnant and also bear a healthy child. These mitochondria are very important components of any cells. Egg cells cannot function well without healthy active mitochondria. Those not only provide oocytes with energy, but also have their own hereditary DNA material. With a deficiency of active, functioning mitochondria in eggs, even a healthy embryo does not take and the pregnancy does not occur. This technology is also an alternative to surrogacy. It enables families to have genetically healthy children which is an absolute med success.The inability to conceive a child in a natural way is definitely a huge tragedy for thousands of couples all over the world. Families facing infertility spend a lot of money and years of tcc in order to achieve a long-awaited pregnancy. Fortunately nowadays we've got lots of options to beat infertility. And there ARE methods that allow the majority to become parents ~biotexcom.com/the-prices-fo... - Must be useful to consider.

[Mel77 in reply to Karinyaa]

Thanks for your respond. We'd tried 2 oe ivf shots home before came to BTC. They put back 2 A grade blasts at a time and we did end up with twins. Dh and I are absolutely satisfied with the outcome. Still I'm thinking what if we could try mitochondrial donation out too?

[Karinyaa in reply to Mel77]

I absolutely understand how you may be feeling. BUT I'm sure you did right depending on the whole situation you found yourself in time ago. I believe mitochondrial donation wasn't so widely used or even discussed then. So you had to look for some other ways to fulfill your dreams. One of the options was using donor eggs. So you just had to except it or not. You had to understand whether all you wanted was a healthy baby(ies) or another time span spent on waiting and hoping for the best..You've got your precious little ones - This is what matters. Nothing else. May god bless you and your big family x

[Mel77 in reply to Karinyaa]

Thank you for all your best wishes. Actually we asked our dr about mitochondrial donation option. She sounded very optimistic about the whole procedure. Still she told we'd need to pass more extended evaluation before making any attempts in this very direction. We followed all the recommendations, passed all the needed tests. At time of our last visit our dr told us chances of using own eggs even with donor's mitochondria are too low to count on.. This made me sad, frankly speaking. But then we had a good talk with dh at the hotel. He said, No is also the answer. Meaning our dr is responsible for the best treatment path, and she doesn't want to push us to unnecessary shots knowing it's more likely not going to work. One more thing is that we already have DE IVF twins from the previous shots with them. And we both are absolutely happy about this. So what's the point in getting disheartened at the fact we truly cannot come back to using own eggs?!! His words comforted me, so we proceeded with egg donation.

How are you doing? Are we on the same treatment stage? Hope things are going on just right, inspite of dreadful covid affect.

[Karinyaa in reply to Mel77]

I guess no. We're already parenting our sweet DS. He's our IVF baby#1. It was the 3rd shot successful (IUIs done before - time spent in vain). I feel for everyone going through IVF, DE&OE/surrogacy/other options while covid pandemic. Feels like a double pressure on people , doesn't it? Anyway, what bravies they all are! Moreover if a repro center does care about its patients, it will find ways to help them. BTC, for instance, sends special invitations to their patients for them to come any time needed (Avoiding the issue of possible closed boarders).

[Marmo in reply to Mel77]

Still the method looks really promising. Mitochondria do have a tiny bit of DNA but it is just used for making energy. The egg donor (you) would contribute the DNA that is in the nucleus (the genome). This would have the genetics for eye color, height, personality, etc. etc. When we think of someone being genetically related, it’s the nuclear genome that we are thinking of, not the mitochondrial DNA. Do the embryo would be yours at least in the way we usually think about it. This approach is based on the idea that aging/poor eggs might not be genetically damaged but might be more out of steam/energy. Some results suggest that adding “fresh” mitochondria could rejuvenate eggs and help them to succeed. It is cutting edge technology so I’m not sure to what extent it helps, yet. Your doctor should have some results in their lab.Hope is all you’ve got to push yourself towards success… so cling to it. Besides the regime, I’ll also insist on various healthy lifestyle changes to expedite on the process. It’s really sad when the clinic refuses to take the conventional or non-conventional way that can help the medical condition on in your case infertility. BTC conducts free consultation seminars and conferences from time to time. It must be useful to attend some. Must be great to get the info ''first-handed''. I hope I could contribute. Hope all you, ladies on here, are doing great.

[andylins]

Hi there. I'm chimming in. IVF has always been a thing to discuss. Moreover, it's sth we're all impressed by, but are confused about so much when doing initial steps. I know people who've been through various treatment plans. Some used even several of them if there was no luck with the previous ones. It does take a toll. Sometimes it feels like everything you want is to curl into a ball and cry "Why it's not happening to me?"

We even traveled to Kyiv in order to get the second opinion and then just stayed there. We got treated in one of the local clinics - BTC. We both felt truly comfy at the place. Were well taken care of. We were understood and supported every time we needed. I guess that's the thing IP are looking for in priority.

I want to believe this year brings more happiness to more families throughout the world. Don't stop, you'll do it!

[Marmo in reply to andylins]

Hi there, hun. Here's what I heard about mitochondrial donation.I googled on this point to and here's what I got to know. Other clinics tried this approach but on the basis they had to take the donor egg's core and place it back to the patient's egg. The cell's core has the hugest DNA impact you see. and if they take it from the donor and place to your egg - this means you get someone else's baby, because of donor's DNA. What they offer at bio texcom is completely different! They stimulate the donor and you. When time comes they extract healthy active mitochondria from the donor's egg and place it to your egg. This mitochondria doesn't have the same DNA impact as the cells's core has. This means the DNA remains YOURS! and this mitochondria only supplies your own egg with the needed energy for the further fertilization. In other words getting your egg ''renewed'' contributes to the successful pregnancy. Even though you're 40+yo or are facing low AMH - you can still do it with OWN EGGS! and end up with genetically related to YOU kid! Please, do drop a glance on it before moving straight to donor egg! GL!

[Loraine7]

I just turned ripe 40+ and I live with my husband years and our jack russell / cattle dog mix Dex! As soon as we got married, I stopped taking birth control hoping for a soon little one. We decided that we would actively start ttc. We didn't think it would happen quick. But after a few months if special diets, lubes, positions, and tracking we were at a loss. We went to a fertility Dr and she told us that we would not be able to conceive naturally and IVF/ICSI would be best for us. I'd been taking my birth control pills for a little over 3 weeks. I have had some pretty dramatic mood swings and weight gain (That I didn't have before when I was on them.) periods so painful. Not uncomfortable.. painful. I was scheduled to start treatments at BTC some time ago. I don't know anyone from the surrounding who has gone through this. We haven't told our family or friends. Either that we've travelled aboad this time to try out Mitochondria donation with surrogacy for a sibling. I would really love to swap stories with someone. Or just know that I'm not alone. Because lately it feels like I am..

[andylins]

Here's how it works. Healthy mitochondria are retrieved from a donor’s egg and transferred to a patient’s egg. Then the oocyte is fertilized and a healthy embryo is transferred into a patient’s uterus. A mitochondrial donor IS NOT a genetic parent of a future baby!! Donated mitochondria account for less than 1% of the baby’s DNA!! Therefore, women who donate their mitochondria will not have any rights for the baby. Mitochondrial donation is anonymous.

Mitochondrial donation program is a breakthrough in reproductive medicine. Infertility is a global health issue that is breaking records and now surrogacy and egg donation treatment are becoming first choices for women. Through these treatments, thousands of couples are becoming parents. Mitochondrial donation makes it possible for a woman to carry and give birth to a child genetically related to both parents on her own. Three-parent baby program allows thousands of infertile women all around the world to carry and give birth to genetically related to them babies. In Ukraine, for example, only one clinic provides such programs. The package costs depend on the number of attempts. In BTC, for example, 6500 EUR - 1 shot with mitochondrial replacement. 9900 EUR - 2 shots. 14900 EUR - 5 shot program. Hope this is useful. Love this one - youtube.com/watch?v=k1kIYIs...(Not working as expected?).

[Karinyaa]

We passed DE IVF overseas in Ukraine, BTC clinic. If you were to donate your eggs at our clinic they'd want you to pass LOADS of tests. Because the goal of egg donation is to obtain multiple eggs in one cycle, your testing will include several blood tests. a gynecological exam and an ultrasound to evaluate your ovarian reserve. Understanding ovaries’ ability to produce eggs is crusial for them. The timing of these tests is important. as some must be performed on specific days of menstrual cycle to accurately measure specific hormone levels and body’s response to them. On the third day of your cycle, fertility specialist orders blood tests to measure blood levels of: Follicle stimulating hormone, estradiol (E2), AMH. Fertility specialist will also perform a vaginal ultrasound assessment to count pre-antral/antral ovarian follicles. If fewer than 10 follicles are seen, you may not qualify as a donor.

The clinic always requires its donors to be absolutely healthy. Within 30 days of scheduled donation, additional blood tests will be ordered to test. Among those: Thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH). Prolactin. Complete blood count. Blood type. Rh factor. In accordance with requirements, blood work will also be ordered to check for sexually transmitted diseases. Additional testing is performed to rule out genetic disorders. Taking all those things into consideration, I'm really glad you feel ready to go this path and help others in this need. You must be awesome!!

[SerrineV]

No wonder. People don't tend to understand the core of the treatment outcomes. We are used to think quite irrationally - we pay money -we must get a kid in any way. And we are literaly crushed when we don't for some reason..I belive the clinic' staff should always explain all the possible outcomes of the fertility treatment to their patients beforehand. For them to be realistic. In any case, I believe there are much more successful stories with them than those heartbreaking ones. When a company achieves high efficiency in its sphere and it is developing, making innovations and improving its results, it becomes popular among more and more people, the media, competitors, potential partners and, of course, infertile couples around the world. Nowadays there are many patients from Germany at the clinic. One of the stories was told by German media. There was a couple from Germany. Aged 55 and 48. They used donor egg surrogacy in BTC. The couple has been waiting for the happy day for 17 years! After long researches they’ve decided on surrogacy with them. Their surrogate mother has successfully carried and delivered twin girls for them. Their manager says right. They aren't gods and cannot rule over everything. Otherwise there wouldn't be a single heartbreak with treatments ever.