This year, during my Christmas speech I spoke about when do we believe that human life begins. Always with the music as a backdrop, this year we have celebrated a party based around ABBA’s music. As I said, in this party I took the opportunity to reflect on “When does life begin?”: When does life start? When exactly does a human...
Topics to reflect on Archive
Claiming women’s freedom to decide
A few weeks ago I had the pleasure of attending a meeting organized by the well-known magazine Marie Claire on the occasion of its thirtieth anniversary in Spain. They gathered 30 exceptional women in different fields. In my case, I was present as a representative of medical science. Together with them, I was able...
The price of an IVF
The results of a centre only have value if they audited by health authorities. According to the study “The price of having a baby by assisted reproduction”, based on results audited by health authorities and budgets of different clinics, Institut Marquès is the best positioned. Our patients do not want an IVF cycle; they...
The Embryo Adoption Increases
The Embryo Adoption Programme of Institut Marquès has come of age. Since 2004, more than 2,000 children have been born thanks to this pioneering idea. The first babies are now 18 years old and more and more patients are coming to our assisted reproduction clinic to have a child by adopting an embryo. I think...
Surrogate Motherhood
Surrogate motherhood is a very important and controversial subject which can be contemplated from very different angles. When there is some news about reproduction, the media usually call me to discuss about them. Sometimes I read material that I have written ten years ago and I am surprised at how my opinion has changed....
Postmortem Assisted Reproduction
I’d like to share some thoughts on postmortem assisted reproduction from an article I recently wrote for Interfunerarias. It’s about the “genetic legacy” some people leave at death: sperm or embryos that remain frozen can be used by the widow or widower depending on their personal circumstances and the law they are submitted to. It’s...
In Vitro Fertilization and Twins
Today I’d like to share the results of a survey we’ve carried out on our patients with you. We’ve asked up to one thousand patients from 31 different countries, all childless and with fertility troubles, if they would prefer to have twins, an only child, or if they didn’t mind either option. The results...
Why Does Our Mind Only Allow Us To See The Reality That We Already Know?
Before reading this, please watch the video and try and count how many times the players in white pass the ball. Then, please read the last sentence of this text and then you can start reading. Our eyes capture images, but what our brain actually sees is conditioned by what we know and what...
It Is Always The Woman’s Fault…
One must admit that in the last decades things have changed for the better and, nowadays, we can discuss a seminogram without any incidents. Four years ago, the School of Medics in Barcelona found out that a patient tried to assault me; more specifically, he tried to throw me out the window! Since they...
Babies Come Without An Instruction Manual
Both gynecologists and pediatricians are constantly surprised that most couples haven’t changed a diaper or don’t even know about the umbilical cord up until the moment of labor. We ask ourselves: have they never taken care of a baby, even if only for a little while? Haven’t they wondered about their own belly buttons?...