Among fertility treatments, the ROPA method (Reception of Oocytes from Partner) offers female couples a unique opportunity to share the experience of parenthood – both biologically and emotionally. With this method, eggs collected from one partner are fertilized with donor sperm, and the embryo is transferred to the partner who wishes to carry the pregnancy. This way, both are involved in the pregnancy and the birth of the child in their own important way.
The ROPA method is a fertility treatment in which one partner’s eggs are fertilized with donor sperm, and the embryo is transferred into the uterus of the other partner. This enables one woman to be the biological mother and the other to be the birth mother.
The ROPA method is also known as shared motherhood, and it is an increasingly popular option for female couples who wish for a shared biological parenthood.
The ROPA method is suitable for couples who wish for a shared child, are prepared to undergo fertility treatment together, and whose health supports successful treatment.
Before starting treatment, both partners undergo the necessary examinations and discuss their hopes, risks, and the practical steps of the fertility treatment.
This ensures that the treatment is carried out safely and in the best possible way, while listening to your wishes.
If you are considering the ROPA method, we at Ovumia are here to answer your questions and support you throughout the journey – from the first consultation to embryo transfer and pregnancy follow-up.
During the couple's initial visit, the doctor carefully assesses that the desired treatment has medical grounds and does not involve significant risks in terms of stimulation, egg collection or pregnancy. It is particularly important to assess the ovarian reserve of the partner from whom the eggs are collected. The structure of the recipient's uterus and other factors affecting the onset and course of pregnancy are also assessed. The necessary hormone and blood tests are planned.
This in vitro fertilization treatment always uses donor sperm, and it is a legal requirement to receive a donor cell consultation prior to the actual treatment. At the Ovumia clinic, counseling can also be carried out remotely.
During the doctor's visit, the hormone stimulation of the donor's ovaries is planned in detail. At the same time, a plan is made as to how the recipient's uterus will be prepared for the embryo transfer. The preparation for the embryo transfer is always planned individually according to the recipient's details.
The donor's ovaries are stimulated with hormones and monitored as in conventional IVF treatment. Monitoring is done using ultrasound scans, typically two follow-up visits are sufficient. At the second visit, the egg collection schedule and the details leading up to it, such as the retrieval injection schedule, are agreed upon. The eggs are collected from the ovary under ultrasound guidance. Both local anesthesia and intravenous pain medication are used for pain management.
After collection, the eggs are fertilized with the sperm of the selected donor. The development of the embryos is monitored in the laboratory so that the best embryo can be selected for transfer to the uterus of the recipient and the other good embryos are frozen.
The embryo transfer is performed according to plan to the recipient. Before embryo transfer, an ultrasound scan is performed to ensure that the recipient's uterine lining has grown sufficiently. Approximately two weeks after embryo transfer, a pregnancy test is performed and if it is positive, an early pregnancy ultrasound can be performe
For many female couples, the ROPA method is meaningful because it:
The method is suitable for situations where one partner has good egg production but cannot carry a pregnancy, and the other has a healthy uterus but a weaker ovarian reserve. The success rates of the ROPA method are similar to other IVF treatments. With young and healthy women, the results are generally excellent.
Some women can have children with their own eggs after the age of 40, as ovarian aging is individual. However, fertility begins to decline significantly already around age 35. Generally, 43 is considered the upper limit after which pregnancy with one’s own eggs is very unlikely. With donor-egg treatments, pregnancy is still possible after this. After age 50, becoming pregnant is very rare.
Yes. With the ROPA method, one partner provides the eggs (biological mother) and the other carries the pregnancy (birth mother). This allows both partners to participate in the process of creating and carrying the child in their own important way.
Yes. Because the ROPA method involves two female partners, donor sperm is always needed to fertilize the eggs.
If more good-quality embryos develop, they can be frozen for future use. These embryos can later be used for another pregnancy attempt without repeating the full treatment process.
In Ovumia, we are always ready to help you!
