FAQ

We recommend a visit to an IVF clinic to clients who fail to conceive after one year of regular, unprotected intercourse. We will examine you carefully before IVF treatment to determine the cause of infertility. Sometimes we can treat the cause of the problem without the need for IVF.

We have a proven track record, with a success rate of up to 85%, which ranks us among the world’s leading centres of assisted reproduction. The success of IVF is greatly affected by the client’s age and the laboratory methods used. Our doctors will advise you on which laboratory methods are suitable for you and plan the IVF process specifically to your needs.

IVF treatment can be performed up to the age of 51. We recommend not delaying treatment, as age is an important factor in successful IVF.

A referral from your doctor is not necessary for consultation at the clinic. If you have already undergone an examination or treatment, you can bring the results of these tests with you. We recommend a visit to an assisted reproduction centre for couples who have been trying to conceive for at least 1 year.

Endometriosis is the most common gynaecological disease in women of reproductive age, experienced by up to 10% of women. This is usually a painful disease in which the cells of the endometrium are located outside the uterus. During menstruation, these cells also bleed, causing inflammation. Symptoms of the disease include more painful menstruation, pain in the lower abdomen or blood in the urine. Endometriosis is a very common cause of female infertility.

Male fertility is negatively affected by a number of factors. These particularly include smoking, use of marijuana, alcohol, increased temperature in the genital area (due to tight clothing, use of a laptop on your lap, etc.) or stress. We also distinguish between pre-testicular, testicular and post-testicular causes.
• Pre-testicular causes – insufficient development of the male gonads (testicles)
• Testicular causes – poor quality ejaculate containing little or no sperm
• Post-testicular causes – impassable vas deferens, prostatitis
• The basic test for male infertility is a semen analysis (spermiogram), which determines the quantity and quality of sperm. Based on the results of the semen analysis, further examinations and possible treatment of male infertility are planned.

A woman’s fertility is affected by age, with a rapid decline in fertility after the age of 40. Negative factors also include stress, lack of sleep, smoking and alcohol. However, lower fertility or infertility can also have medical causes:
• Ovarian factor – ovarian dysfunction
• Tubal factor – blocked or missing fallopian tubes
• Endometriosis – parts of the endometrium (uterine mucosa) are located outside the uterine cavity
• Immunological factors – the body produces antibodies to sperm, the egg or embryo
• Genetic causes – often the problem may not be infertility, but IVF will minimise the chances of giving birth to a child with a congenital defect

PCOS – polycystic ovary syndrome is one of the common causes of female infertility, which affects up to 10% of women. It usually occurs in women under the age of 30. Symptoms of this disease include irregular or no menstrual cycle, thinning hair, increased weight or increased facial or body hair. Polycystic ovary syndrome means eggs are not released from the ovaries and remain inside. Therefore, they cannot be fertilised with sperm.

The basic test for male infertility is a semen analysis (spermiogram), which determines the number and quality of sperm in the ejaculate. The result of the semen analysis is considered normal if the ejaculate meets the following conditions:
• At least 15 million sperm/ml
• At least 40% of sperm are motile
• Total volume is at least 1.5 ml

• Infertility treatment is not a reason for sick leave from work. We only recommend a fit note for women with physically demanding jobs or those who do not feel well during stimulation or after egg retrieval.

• There are many factors that affect the success of IVF – the quality of oocytes (eggs), quality of sperm, etc. It is never possible to determine exactly why pregnancy did not occur. However, we can plan a treatment programme to increase the chances of pregnancy the next time you try.

A urine pregnancy test will not be conclusive earlier than the 12th day after embryo transfer. If the test is negative, we recommend repeating the test on the 14th and 20th day after embryo transfer. After a positive test, book an ultrasound to rule out an ectopic pregnancy.

We recommend avoiding strenuous physical activities and stressful situations after embryo transfer. There is no need to take sick leave from work.

We consider the ideal thickness of the endometrium to be 9-12 mm. Although we use high doses of hormones and other supplementary medications, many women fail to achieve this value. Even so, they have a high chance of getting pregnant. Even endometrial thickness of 7 mm gives a high chance that embryos will attach.

Both IVF and IUI are methods of assisted reproduction. IUI is a basic method of assisted reproduction that does not require the removal of eggs from the woman’s body. Treatment involves the introduction of sperm directly into the woman’s uterus. The chances of fertilisation are thus higher than with natural sexual intercourse. IVF is a method of assisted reproduction in which an egg is fertilised outside the woman’s body. The embryo is subsequently transferred into the uterine cavity. IVF can be performed with own or donated cells.

IVF is a method of assisted reproduction in which fertilisation takes place outside the woman’s body. The embryo is subsequently transferred into the uterine cavity. The ICSI method increases the success of treatment and consists of introducing sperm directly into the egg using a thin needle.

IVF (in vitro fertilization) is a method of fertilisation outside the body in which a female egg is fertilised by male sperm “in a test tube”. We can use the patients’ own eggs and sperm for IVF, as well as donated eggs and sperm.

The risks associated with IVF are minimal. One of the rare complications of hormonal treatment is hyperstimulation (OHSS), resulting in an enlargement of the ovaries. The main symptom of hyperstimulation is pain in the lower abdomen, with the occasional accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity. Today’s medicine can alleviate symptoms, and hyperstimulation then subsides spontaneously. Pregnancy following IVF is no different from natural pregnancy and presents the same risks (premature labour, miscarriage, etc.).

The collective term PGT – Preimplantation genetic testing is now used for PGD/PGS tests. PGT is particularly recommended in cases where one of the parents has a genetic disease. It is also advisable in situations where a woman has had several miscarriages. PGT analysis can significantly reduce the risk of miscarriage in the first trimester of pregnancy and at the same time detect certain genetic diseases. However, it is not a substitute for prenatal screening for congenital anomalies.

Increased menstrual pain may occur during IVF stimulation. The retrieval of eggs takes place under general anaesthesia and is therefore painless. Clients undergoing treatment with donated eggs do not undergo stimulation with hormonal preparations and therefore experience no pain.

If a woman does not have fallopian tubes, IVF is the ideal solution, in which she can also use her own eggs. Without ovaries, she can only undergo IVF treatment with donated eggs.

The success of IVF treatment can be increased by using additional laboratory methods such as ICSI, Embryo Glue, assisted hatching or Fertile Plus.

The interval between IVF cycles depends on the type of treatment and the intensity of hormonal stimulation. We usually recommend a break of 2 to 3 months.

Egg retrieval takes place at our clinic under short general anaesthesia lasting 10-15 minutes. After a maximum of one hour’s rest in the recovery room, you can leave the clinic. Please, make sure you have someone to accompany you, as you cannot drive a car following general anaesthesia.

The duration of the whole IVF process depends on the specific type of treatment chosen. One cycle at our IVF clinic usually takes 2 months.

This is the first day of your period. If you start bleeding after 18:00, count the next day as the first day.

Yes, IVF can also be performed without hormonal stimulation. This is called a native (natural) cycle, in which we only retrieve one egg, which is just maturing in the ovary. The success of the natural cycle is lower, which is due to the use of only one egg.