Stem Cell Treatment

Recent studies showed that sperm cell can be developed under laboratory conditions using stem cells of men with azoospermia. In the past, it was thought that sperm cell could be developed only with the stem cells named spermatogonium; however, recent scientific studies revealed that stem cells are present in testicles at any time and these cells can be used to produce sperms through hormone treatment. Dr. Philipe Durant et al., conducted studies at Lyon National  Research Institute in France and they isolated the sperm stem cells in biopsy pieces retrieved from the testicles of a group of men with azoospermia.  They managed to convert the cells into sperms with fully developed tail, using a bioreactor. However, the sperms were not used for in vitro fertilization treatment. The studies that are at experimental phase did not, yet, come to maturation level allowing the use for in vitro fertilization treatment and no clinical approval was obtained. Eurofertil In Vitro Fertilization Centres prepare a treatment program in the light of the recent know-how and technologies and a treatment method or technology is not offered to the patients unless it is approved clinically.  

Cell retrieved from the body will be used for egg development.

There are 3 patient groups for which in vitro fertilization cannot be used to assist the reproduction. 
 

1. Male patients for which all diagnostics and treatment options are consumed due to absence of sperm

Azoospermia is a condition of man who has no sperm, whether active or dead, in the semen. Urologist may recommend micro-TESE in accordance with the test results.  Thus, the sperm retrieved from the patient is frozen and used for in vitro fertilization treatment.  However, ‘stem cell’ is the only option for patients with no hope to retrieve stem cells, except for the sperm donation that is forbidden in Turkey.  
 

 2. Women in menopause who does not have egg reserve

The egg reserve of woman is known when they are born, and this situation cannot be changed in any way. In other words, the egg reserve of the women depends on the age. If the woman is older, the egg reserve is getting older and the chances of having a baby are reduced. 8-10 eggs can be retrieved from prospective mothers of 20-30 years of age and this number is reduced to 1-2 for prospective mothers 40 years of age. This situation created a critical risk with respect to having a baby. The pregnancy chance is eliminated in case of early menopause or due to the lack of ovulation after menopause. In the recent studies, a biopsy from ovaries of women who do not have egg reserve or lost chances of natural conception was enriched under laboratory conditions and transferred back in order to resume the ovulation; however no clinically proved success was achieved. This method is not applied at Eurofertil in vitro fertilization centres due to the importance attached to the safety, health and satisfaction of patients as it is not possible to obtain clinically proven results.