An Irish couple who were battling with infertility are now pregnant thanks to an advanced new treatment they received at Cork Fertility Centre.
The centre announced that the couple are now expecting their first child thanks to Microsurgical Testicular Sperm Extraction, which sees treatment being performed on the male patient before traditional IVF is used.
This is the first time the procedure has resulted in a reported pregnancy in Ireland, and Consultant Urologist and Andrologist Dr Ivor Cullen described it as a “landmark pregnancy”.
This type of procedure is preferred by many couples as it increases the chance of conception without the need for donor sperm.
“This is a landmark pregnancy and very positive news regarding the treatment of male infertility and in particular azoospermia,” Dr Cullen said.
“Azoospermia is a condition where no sperm cells are found in a semen sample, perhaps as a result of a hormone imbalance or other medical problem.
“It offers renewed hope to these men, and to men who have been diagnosed with defective sperm production, or had previous unsuccessful conventional sperm retrieval procedures.”
Head of Laboratory Services at Cork Fertility Centre, Dr Tim Dineen also commented, saying: “The team at Cork Fertility Centre is delighted for this couple and would like to extend our congratulations."
“This procedure involved precise surgery and robust laboratory techniques; we will continue to pioneer innovative and evidence-based procedures and techniques, such as Micro-TESE, that help and benefit our patients overcoming their fertility struggles.”
