Infertility treatments

At a time when one couple in six is experiencing difficulties conceiving, the Human Reproduction and Infertility Centre at the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc is at the forefront of treatment for male and female infertility.

Offering a full range of treatments for medically assisted procreation (hormonal stimulation, intrauterine insemination with parter's or anonymous donor's sperm (only for couples), in vitro fertilisation, ICSI, etc), the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc’s Human Reproduction and Infertility Centre is renowned for its treatment of endometriosis and male sterility as well as for male and female fertility preservation.

Treatment for endometriosis

Endometriosis is a condition in which cells from the endometrium are found outside the womb lining, most often in the peritoneum, ovaries and, more rarely, in the intestines. Endometriosis may cause significant pain during a woman’s periods and is also one of the causes of female sterility. The Gynaecology and Andrology Department at the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc offers internationally recognised expertise in the diagnosis and treatment of this condition.

Treatment of male sterility

The decrease in the quality and/or quantity of sperm since the end of the Second World War is the cause of half the difficulties experienced in conceiving. At the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc, more than 60% of in vitro fertilisations (IVF) are carried out for this reason. The Andrology Unit handles treatment of the most severe cases of male sterility.

Male and female fertility preservation

The Tissue and Reproductive Cell bank at the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc is a leader in the field of cryopreservation (low-temperature preservation) of gametes from both sexes, before or after puberty. With this technique it is possible to preserve the future fertility of patients who have to undergo medical treatment that is potentially toxic to their gametes (chemotherapy for example) or who have a form of cancer that could affect their fertility.  The Tissue and Reproductive Cell Bank at the Cliniques universitaires Saint-Luc is able to remove and preserve:

• Ovocytes from women and young girls after puberty;
• Ovarian tissue from prepubescent girls and young women;
• Sperm and spermatozoa taken from the testicular tissue of men and adolescent boys;
• Testicular tissue from prepubescent boys. Research is under way into the development of stem cells contained in this testicular tissue with in order to transplant or culture these to reproduce spermatogenesis (sperm production).

More information (for the time being only in French) : www.saintluc.be