-Published: Friday, October 11, 2019-

By the A.M. Costa Rica staff

Three Costa Rican couples are waiting for a child, thanks to the attention received in the hospital of the Unit of Reproductive Medicine of High Complexity of Social Security. This was announced, on Thursday by Román Macaya Hayes, executive president of the institution.

"The Unit of Reproductive Medicine of High Complexity that we recently opened a couple of months ago, is already bearing the greatest fruit and is giving couples the dream of having a baby," said Macaya.

According to Social Security, these three future mothers are already in their 10th week of gestation.

These couples correspond to those who are in the first cycle of treatment. This cycle began with 15 interested couples. In nine women the transfer of fertilized eggs was achieved, and of those, three couples are enjoying a pregnancy close to the 10th week of gestation.

In addition to this, the authorities announced the incorporation of an andrologist who will be specifically responsible for studying and treating problems related to the genital and reproductive system in men.

This professional is currently preparing in Barcelona, Spain, and will soon be completing his studies.

For Keilyn Molina, one of the pregnant women this experience  "is one of the things I most wanted, what I dreamed the most. I look in the mirror and think: It is true, it is true,  I am pregnant! It is one of the most wonderful experiences that I've had in my life." Her sentiments were quoted by Social Security.

The High Complexity Reproductive Medicine Unit was inaugurated on July 2018 next to women hospital, know as Maternidad Carit*, in Barrio Carit in San José.

The infrastructure of this unit includes a building with two functional floors and one of engineering and equipped with high technology. The investment was $8,478,893.

The structure has 2,000 square meters of construction and is equipped with laboratories, offices, operating rooms and various very venues where the procedures are carried out.

On August, as A.M. Costa Rica previously reported, the Social Security announced the first preform in vitro fertilization.

After having complied with a thorough process of monitoring, control, and ovarian stimulation, specialists made embryonic transfers that could culminate in the first in vitro pregnancies performed by Social Security.

According to Dr. Jerchell Barrantes, the first group of couples have been chosen to make the embryo transfer.

"On June 3rd, we began the registration process. It has involved thorough monitoring by a team of five specialists of reproductive medicine, three microbiologists specialized in embryology and an entire nursing support team," said the Social Security in its statement.

Follicular punctures or ovule extractions were carried out in a completely sterile operating room. The patient was anesthetized, and the ovules were removed through the vagina.

In another room, doctors selected the best sperm from the collected semen samples.

Dr. Jerchell Barrantes explains how the medical unit chooses the best sperm. "The ovules and sperm are removed from the body and fertilization is attempted in the laboratory 24 hours later. The team had to wait between three and five days to confirm there was proper embryonic development," said the specialist in its statement.

The next step is the embryo transfer where a specialist places the embryos in a thin catheter to be inserted through the vagina until it reaches the uterus. This painless procedure is done on an outpatient basis so the patient can return home the same day.

After this transfer is made, the embryo should implant itself in the mother's womb.

According to Social Security, after the selection and treatment process, couples can undergo in-vitro fertilization, free of charge, as long as either patient is insured.


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