R.O.P.A. with donated sperm for lesbian couples Spain

Framing the R.O.P.A.: R.O.P.A. is the cutting-edge IVF cycle designed exclusively for the lesbian couples wishing to share the motherhood and to have the tiny ones together! Are you a lesbian couple? Want to share the motherhood journey together? That is awesome!

What is R.O.P.A?

R.O.P.A. is the uniquely designed IVF cycle for the lesbian couples that is ideal for the lesbian family model. R.O.P.A. method consists of performing an In Vitro Fertilization with the participation of both females of the couple and the sperm donor.

What makes R.O.P.A. technique unique in CREA Valencia (Spain)?

Primarily, it should be noted that the Spanish legal framework reshaped the law for same–sex couples, and since 2005 the lesbian couples and gay couples have the legal status. Moreover, lesbian couples have legal access to assisted reproduction techniques that makes Spain one of the most favorable destinations to choose the best same-sex programs.

Law 13/2005 has legally framed that it possible for both women in a lesbian couple to participate in the pregnancy if they so wish. The lesbian motherhood was inclusively envisaged, the definition was designed, the whole treatment procedure was conclusively shaped, and now this technique termed R.O.P.A. is implemented into the medical practice.

The implementation of R.O.P.A. technique in CREA Valencia involves the multi-stage IVF cycle with several stages ideally synchronized in the timeline for maximizing the success. Creating Miracles for same-sex couples is the mission and vision of CREA Valencia.

How does R.O.P.A. work?

R.O.P.A. technique is a multi–stage one, and it involves the active participation of both women (both of them are the biological mothers), one who provides the eggs (oocytes) and the other who carries the embryo in her womb. The woman who provides oocytes undergoes the ovarian stimulation, the ultrasonically guided follicular puncture and follicle aspiration, as in every IVF cycle. The collected eggs will be inseminated with the sperm of an anonymous donor from our Sperm Bank, specifically selected for the couple. Whilst the ovarian stimulation is carried out, it will take place the endometrial preparation of the woman who is going to get pregnant. The best quality embryo will be transferred into her uterus and she will be the one carrying the gestation.

What is the legal framework for R.O.P.A.?

Sharing motherhood became the brand–new model for lesbian couples. Several years ago, shared lesbian motherhood was prohibited by the Spanish law it was considered a “gamete donation” (“oocyte donation”) and the Spanish Law on Human Assisted Reproduction legally frames that gamete donation must be anonymous. Drafting the legal framework for shared lesbian motherhood was a real challenge of established concepts and frameworks in Spanish ethics, Spanish medical ethics, and Spanish legislation. Spanish IVF–clinicians were the first who implemented the concept of “sharing biological motherhood in lesbian couples” and gave the inclusive interpretation for the R.O.P.A. technique. Both lesbians are the biological mothers as one of them is “oocyte–mommy” and the other is “womb–mommy.” Technically, R.O.P.A. IVF cycle involves one of the women providing the oocytes for in vitro fertilization (IVF) using donated sperm, and the other woman provides the uterus and bears the fetus.

However, since 2005, Spanish Civil Code was amended and the rights of homosexual marriage became the same as heterosexual marriage, thus, R.O.P.A. can no longer be considered a “gamete donation”, given that one woman of the lesbian couple shares her gametes with her partner, as it happens in heterosexual marriage, where the husband shares his sperm with his wife. Unlike Artificial Insemination and IVF with donated sperm, this technique enables both women to participate actively into the gestation and to have the same rights and obligation on the baby with no need for one of them to adopt him, as it happened before.

Our donors

Our donors are selected after passing successfully all necessary fertility tests and health screenings. All our sperm donors are youngsters between the age of 18 and 35. We evaluate the sperm quality and resistance to the freezing-thawing process, we perform a complete donors’ check-up and a physical examination. Donors are selected based on the characteristics (build, skin and eye color, blood group, etc.) of the couple and the donor selection is made solely and exclusively by the medical team, according to the Spanish Law’s requirements. Nowadays it is also possible to select the more suitable sperm donor for the recipient lesbian couple according to his genetic profile, to have a further reassurance about the incidence of genetic diseases.