Fertilization, checkmate to adenomyosis. The story of Valeria and her baby girl Margherita

From the Eshre Congress in Paris, the odyssey of 'patient 1' who defeated the sister disease of endometriosis

Valeria, at 43, "had been to many assisted reproduction centers" and over the years "as many as 11 blastocysts" had been transferred into her uterus. A desperate odyssey, the child did not arrive. In the end, however, Valeria found her Itaca. "Her name is Margherita and today she is 3 years old". Mauro Cozzolino, a specialist in reproductive medicine and director of the Ivi Center in Bologna, told their story to Adnkronos Salute. At the 41st Eshre Congress (European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology) underway in Paris, he presented a new PMA protocol that for the first time manages to double the chances of pregnancy in cases of adenomyosis, a 'sister' disease of endometriosis, which affects 1 in 5 women of childbearing age.

Valeria is 'patient 1', "the first one treated". After her, 3 more, all with a long series of failed attempts behind them, "difficult situations", explains Cozzolino. "The first 'case series' we published involved 4 patients - he recalls - We started with a small number, we gradually increased it and the idea of ​​this protocol was born, driven by the desire to really make a difference for these women. When you propose new therapeutic paths to patients, perhaps at first you are greeted with skepticism", reports the expert. "In front of you - he underlines - you have couples who have gone through great suffering, who have undertaken countless failed attempts", who no longer believe in it. "They have an emotional burden, of pain, that as doctors we must always take into consideration" to break down the wall of distrust, to convince the person in front of us not to give up, to trust, to try again with new techniques.

With Valeria, Cozzolino succeeded: "It was beautiful - he says - we built a wonderful relationship. We still hear from each other, she sends me photos of her baby, follows me on Instagram and encourages me every time I post something. It happens to share this type of relationship with many patients; with others it is more complicated", but looking them in the eye when the result arrives always pays off. "Pregnancy is a big bang - the specialist concludes - and we reproductive doctors have the privilege of acting as denoters, of being part of this explosion that is life. I have seen the face of a couple completely change after the birth of a child and I think it is wonderful to be able to participate in all of this". (by Paola Olgiati )