12-Apr-2018

The Forest of Embryos: Institut Marquès plants a tree for every birth

Institut Marquès, founded in Barcelona more than 95 years ago, is an integrated centre with a well-established, internationally recognised reputation in the field of Obstetrics & Gynaecology and Assisted Reproduction. Hundreds of patients from around the world come to the centre every year hoping to achieve a pregnancy, mainly through In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF) with egg and/or semen donation.

In honour of the children born from these treatments, Institut Marquès has recently launched a new project called The Forest of Embryos. Institut Marquès continues to show its concern for the environment by improving the quality of the air that reaches its IVF laboratory in order to achieve better results. In addition, one of Institut Marquès’ missions is to leave a better world for the children born thanks to its fertility treatments.

The Forest of Embryos is focused on reforesting an area of Mont-roig del Camp (Tarragona, Spain) affected by a devastating fire in the 90s. Institut Marquès is planting a tree in the name of every child born as a result of a treatment carried at the clinic. Furthermore, the fertility centre aims to involve its patients in this Corporate Social Responsibility project: when a child is born, Institut Marquès informs the parents that a tree will be planted in their child’s honour, giving them the option to place a plaque with their son’s or daughter’s first name and date of birth on the tree. Institut Marquès planted the first of these trees at the end of February 2018, during an event that received extensive media coverage.

The Forest of Embryos is another environmental commitment taken by Institut Marquès after sponsoring Lluís Pallarès’ participation at the North Pole Marathon dressed with a spermatozoid costume. Institut Marquès is currently conducting several investigations regarding the different ozone layers and their benefits within the context of In Vitro Fertilisation and embryo implantation.

Institut Marquès is a clinic of four generations of gynecologists that began its activity when Dr. Vicens Marquès i Bertran founded the Maternal Clinic in 1941. Since then, his son and his grandson have followed his steps. And the next generation is about to continue with the Marquès’ family legacy. Dr. Marisa López-Teijón, who currently leads Institut Marquès, has managed the international expansion of the Assisted Reproduction Unit of the centre.