Harnessing the Power of AI in Assisted Reproduction

Q: How has Ovogene helped to streamline the biomaterial donating process and what advantages does it provide to its users? 

A:Ovogene’s mission is to assist patients on their path to desired parenthood through various solutions. The biomaterial donation is possible by constantly having in our storage more than 10,000 oocytes from over 3,000 different donors from around the globe. We streamline this process with the use of AI - Artificial Intelligence - in our donor matching system.

Furthermore, Ovogene is the first egg bank to start using AI technology in oocyte selection and development. Our scientific team has developed a unique AI system to achieve the best morphologic determination. This is truly groundbreaking as embryologists alone are not able to make exact calculations on the morphological parameters of oocytes. This is important because morphological donor oocyte selection is the key point for successful vitrification and thawing process in IVF.

Q: What are the main challenges you face by being the first AI-driven donor bank?

A: We take pride in being the pioneer in AI egg banking. However, being the first always comes with challenges. Comprehending how advanced certificate technology works is definitely easier said than done, and we do our best to communicate this. We want our solutions to be understood and accessible to patients and partner clinics. The challenge is in explaining the AI systems and how it solves issues that maybe other clinics or egg banks did not even view as issues, causing much lower birth rates. 

With infertility rates increasing year on year, it is important for individuals to be more educated about their reproductive health, as well as alternative options to parenthood. With this, clinics should be prepared for the future of IVF. Through Ovogene’s AI systems, we are able to improve the quality of laboratory procedures efficiently - from donor selection to the last stage. It is only expected that using AI technology to make precise calculations and selections would significantly improve success rates.

Q: You currently have representatives in 8 countries. What are your expansion plans for the future? What would make Mexico an attractive market for Ovogene?

A: We have over 50 partners globally, including the US, Australia, Canada, and Latin America. We plan to continue expanding and deepening our partnerships as we innovate our services.

Mexico is an attractive market for Ovogene as it is a leading IVF destination for egg donation treatment, especially for North Americans; largely due to their close proximity to each other. IVF treatment is much more affordable here as well. There are also no legal regulations that restrict or prohibit in vitro treatment or egg donation treatment in Mexican clinics.

We would be thrilled to have new partnerships in Mexico and share our success.

Q: How do you ensure that you are aligned with the legislation of the countries where you have presence? What are the main legislative obstacles that you face when entering a new market?

A: Ovogene adheres to all regulations governing the use of assisted reproductive technologies. These regulations are based on clinical practices and ethics that are globally applicable. We know in detail all the requirements of every country, their algorithm of testing, required paperwork, and protocols that we follow strictly to ensure that donor choices and catalogs abide by those standards. Having partners in different countries also keeps us informed with the latest updates in local policies and guidelines. 

According to law, Mexico allows access to IVF as long as it is voluntary. Assisted reproduction through various methods of artificial insemination (IUI, IVF) may only be undertaken with the consent of the female patient undergoing the procedure. In addition egg, sperm and embryo donation are entirely legal in Mexico.

Q: How do you guarantee the safe delivery of frozen materials? 

A: We collaborate with the best delivery services in the cryoshipping industry — ARK Cryo, which is an international transporting company that specializes in door-to-door cryoshipping for assisted reproduction, including pharmaceuticals and DNA. Through this partnership, we guarantee that the transportation of biomaterials will be safe and reliable. 

Furthermore, the shipments are human supervised and are transported in certified containers with loggers that strictly monitor the temperature and conditions inside the containers from point to point.

Q: You help LGBTQ + couples to have a child. Compared to other choices, what is the added value that Ovegene offers them?

A: In line with Ovogene’s mission to give every intended parent the possibility to start a family, we observe inclusivity in race and gender. What is important here is that the intended parents are decent people who can raise a child. 

Through our services, same-sex couples and single gay men are able to establish families with their DNA, together with that of the donor. We offer a fully automated and technological egg donation process that guarantees a positive result in 99.9% of cases.

Q: According to a report, the global egg donation market is expected to grow with a CAGR of 8.20% between 2021 and 2027. What are the main drivers for this growth?

A:The global market growth for egg donation can be attributed to several factors. A major one is the rise in infertility rates and unsuccessful pregnancies, as well as the increasing age in which women desire to have children. Data shows us that the age of first-time mothers is increasing by two years every decade. Additionally, the growing number of same-sex couples has an impact, as they have no other option but to create an embryo.

Q: These procedures are not always accessible to everyone. What strategies are needed for more people to have the opportunity to become parents?

A: The first step is for intended parents to select the right IVF clinic from countries that allow it and have an egg bank partner like Ovogene that makes the process much easier, from egg donor selection to cryoshipping and assisted reproductive technologies. 

We are confident that through our advanced technology and intensive lab testing procedures managed by a team of IVF experts, we are able to achieve pregnancy with fewer oocytes. This makes our packages not only more practical, but also more affordable in the long run. In line with this, we operate as a European egg bank that’s more affordable compared to the United States. 

Lastly,we are much more accessible because we operate in more than 50 countries around the world through our partners.

As not all cases are the same, we would be happy to discuss with our partners and patients all the possible treatments based on their tests and needs. 

Q: What goals do you want to achieve by the end of 2023? How are you planning to continue reaching more people who need Ovogene’s services?

A: Our main objective for Ovogene is to deliver the highest quality of biomaterials and maintain our status as a reliable partner in the IVF industry. Our goal for 2023 is to expand our global reach and continue working on innovating our practices.

Ovogene is the first AI-driven donor bank in the world, with a rapidly expanding global storage network of biomaterials: eggs, sperm and embryos. It has representatives in Slovakia, Georgia, Ukraine, Portugal, the US, Israel, Albania and Cyprus.