Burgas University Hospital has started treating couples with fertility problems in a hyperbaric chamber, the hospital said. The first couples are already having sessions.
The hospital's assisted reproduction unit and its hyperbaric oxygenation unit developed the programme together. Hyperbaric oxygen therapy is treatment with oxygen at raised pressure. Dr Alexander Kunev, a doctor of medical science and reproductive medicine specialist, and Dr Daniela Lyutskanova carry it out. Lyutskanova is an anaesthesia and intensive care specialist who has worked with hyperbaric oxygen for many years.
The chamber does not replace the main treatment but adds to it. The aim is to give tissues more oxygen and help the reproductive system work better. The programme means two units of the hospital now give extra support to couples who struggle to conceive.
Dr Lyutskanova says research shows oxygen at raised pressure may help some processes in the reproductive system. She says women with a weak ovarian response get better results in egg retrieval and fertilisation.
"In women whose womb lining is not well developed, doctors have seen it get thicker and conditions improve for the embryo to implant," she said. She added: "Studies in men find positive changes in the movement and quality of sperm, and less damage to their DNA."
Patients need a doctor's referral for the sessions. Couples who want to try begin with a consultation at the assisted reproduction unit, where doctors assess the fertility problem and decide whether the chamber is suitable.
Before they start, patients are checked for medical reasons that would rule out the treatment.