New horizons in infertility treatment: German mom welcomes her miracle baby at 43
Today, having a baby after age 40 is not impossible. Innovations in reproductive medicine mark the beginning of a new era for infertility treatment.
A poor ovarian response is one of the major causes of infertility. It is tough to create quality embryos in these patients. In ACIBADEM, we apply PRP (Platelet-rich plasma) which is one of the newest techniques in IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatment for increasing the quality of embryos. PRP helps to stimulate the ovaries and increases the quality of the ovarian reserve. With PRP treatment, the amount and quality of oocytes and embryos could be augmented. Thus, we can increase the chance of conception.
What is PRP, and how is it applied?
PRP, as a non-operative treatment, is an innovative approach applied in reproductive medicine in recent years. It can play an important role in tissue regeneration and healing. It has been applying different disciplines of medicine for years.
When the PRP procedure is applied for the first time, a blood sample is taken from the patient. The sample is separated into red blood cells and leukocytes. The liquid which contains platelet-rich plasma is then concentrated. This sample is used for PRP, and it is injected directly into the ovaries using the ultrasound-guided method.
Having a baby at 43 thanks to PRP
Laura and Thomas are a German couple who are married for 16 years. The couple had three failed IVF attempts. They were about to give up on having a child. They wanted to give themselves a last chance and search for IVF treatment abroad. Laura explains his first journey to Turkiye and ACIBADEM Hospital:
“I am not exactly sure what prompted me to search IVF treatment abroad. When you’re well in your 40s, you are most likely to give up on having a baby. So here we are, a married couple for 16 years, who have tried IVF treatments 3 times. We were still aspiring to have a baby, but at the same time, we were getting used to the idea that not having a baby is not the end of the world. After a while, we started thinking about going abroad for treatment. There were different options. I saw some ads and videos from ACIBADEM Healthcare Group from Turkiye. I read some papers about the hospital and its IVF capacity. They are the biggest private health care provider in the country and have a great reputation in infertility treatment. I also read convincing comments about the hospital on some health blogs. We visited ACIBADEM Hospital to meet gynecology and reproductive medicine specialist Prof. Bülent Tıraş, MD. He listened to us carefully, examined our medical records, and shared his opinion and the treatment plan in his mind.”
Laura was 42 at the time, and they had three unsuccessful IVF attempts before in their hometown. After considering Laura’s age and previous failed attempts, Professor Bülent Tıraş and his team decided to apply PRP treatment. After PRP, ovarian stimulation, egg retrieval, and finally embryo transfer, the couple returned to their country. Two weeks later, they visited Turkiye again, just to find out that they would be mom and dad. Laura gave birth to a baby girl 7 months ago in her hometown.
Thousands of couples visit ACIBADEM every year with the hope of having a child
Just like Laura and Thomas, thousands of couples are visiting Turkiye and ACIBADEM Hospital from foreign countries every year. High success rates, new innovative solutions like PRP, the legality of Preimplantation Genetic Screening procedure in Turkiye, affordable prices, skillful doctors, and modern laboratory are some of the attractive reasons to choose ACIBADEM. Laura states that “The cost we paid in ACIBADEM was a quarter of an IVF center in Germany. Before we came to Turkiye, we had a look at the IVF centers in the USA. We did not see higher success rates there. What’s more, the cost was almost 10 times compared to ACIBADEM.”
Professor Bülent Tıraş states that PRP offers new hope of fertility to women, particularly those who had experienced failed IVF cycles before. “With PRP treatment, we are trying to increase ovarian reserve, the number and at the same time the quality of the eggs. I want to say that we have been seeing inspiring outcomes with PRP treatment. For about 3 and a half years, we have been using this treatment in Turkiye, in ACIBADEM Maslak IVF Center. We are providing services to different age groups and our clinic has many patients who are in their 40s. Thanks to PRP, we can increase the likelihood of pregnancy in these age groups. We had a patient who got pregnant at 48 after PRP and IVF procedures.”
In addition, there are different studies in the medical field about PRP’s effects in IVF treatment on pregnancy. Professor Bülent Tıraş and his team have one of the most extensive research projects in this area. They researched PRP’s effect on infertility treatment in 311 women and witnessed really promising results.
Being parents
Laura shared with us how their life changed after the baby; “Our lovely little girl is 7 months now. We finally became parents, and I would like to think we are good parents. Maybe even great parents. Being a mom and a dad became our primary role. Our world now revolves around our baby. I know it is a bit cliché to say this but having a baby is the greatest feeling that can be experienced by a human being. It’s a story as old as time.”
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Prof. Bülent Tıraş, M.D
Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Reproductive and Infertility Medicine
Professor Dr. Bülent Tıraş is a leading specialist in reproductive medicine in Turkiye and Head of ACIBADEM Maslak IVF Center. He graduated from Ankara University, Faculty of Medicine in 1984, and completed his specialization training in Ege University, Gynecology and Obstetrics Department. Between 1989-1990, he completed a fellowship program at the University of London, Royal Postgraduate Medical School, Hammersmith Hospital on IVF, Endoscopic Surgery, Infertility, and Microsurgery. He received training on IVF and Microinjection at Assaf Harofeh Medical Center in Israel in 1995 and Reproductive Endocrinology and IVF at The Johns Hopkins University Medical School, the USA, in 2000. Again in 2000, he received training on Advanced Endoscopic Surgery in Chattanooga, USA. Currently, Prof. Tıraş and his team at Acibadem Maslak Hospital conduct studies and perform some novel fertility treatments, such as platelet-rich plasma (PRP) and stem cells application for patients with low ovarian reserve, and plasma treatment for male factor infertility. Chairman of the Turkish Gynecology and Obstetrics Association (2008 – present).
About Acıbadem Maslak Hospital
Opened in 2009 and expanded in 2018, Acıbadem Maslak is the largest hospital of the leading private healthcare provider in Turkiye and the region Acibadem Healthcare Group. Incorporating the latest technologies and internationally acclaimed physicians, Acıbadem Maslak serves as a national and international referral center for many complex treatments and surgeries. It provides comprehensive services for pediatric and adult patients across multiple medical specialties, including oncology, heart care, intensive care, IVF treatment, spine health, robot-assisted surgery, etc. The hospital has international JCI quality accreditation and LEED Gold Certificate for environment-friendly building. With its 106.000 m2 indoor area, 364 beds, 36 intensive care beds, and 20 operating theatres, Acıbadem Maslak provides world-class healthcare in a relaxing and healing environment
