FAQs

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.

• We have hundreds of satisfied clients from the Czech Republic and many other countries.
• We offer top quality treatment at prices comparable to other clinics in Prague.
• We have no hidden fees.
• We have a proven track record, with a success rate up to 68%, which ranks us among the world's leading centres of assisted reproduction.
• We will book you for IVF treatment immediately without waiting.
• Our clinic uses the most modern technology currently available in the world.
• Our experienced staff and doctors speak English and German.
• We approach each client individually.
• We will help you with all the formalities.
• We offer initial consultation with a doctor by phone or skype free of charge.
• We also offer genetic and immunological testing to help determine the cause of infertility.

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 68%, 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 49. 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.

Diet, specifically the micronutrients we provide to the body, plays an important role not only in trying to get pregnant, but also in pregnancy itself. However, it is often difficult to ensure optimal levels through diet, so your doctor may recommend supplementation in the form of a nutritional supplement, which can be purchased freely at the pharmacy. Your doctor will also advise you on the most suitable products, including the recommended dose.

Folic acid

Probiotics

Vitamin D

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 35. 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.

A urine pregnancy test will not be conclusive earlier than the 12^th day after embryo transfer. If the test is negative, we recommend repeating the test on the 14^th and 20^th 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.

Female fertility declines rapidly after the age of 40. To increase the chances of successful IVF, we recommend that women over the age of 40 use donor eggs. It is definitely worth starting IVF treatment as soon as possible, because even a few months delay can have a significant effect on success. Our doctors can also recommend suitable laboratory methods that increase the success of treatment.

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 (OOHS), 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.

Preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) is used to minimise the risk of certain inherited disorders and diseases. During a PGT test, one or more cells are taken from the embryo and analysed. The embryo is not damaged during this test and continues to develop.

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

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

Stimulation medication is usually applied into the skin with a thin needle under the navel. You can buy medication from us at the clinic or we will prepare a prescription with which you can buy the medication at any pharmacy.

Age is crucial for a woman's fertility. A woman starts to be less fertile after the age of 30 and fertility decreases very quickly from the age of 35. One of the reasons is that the quality of eggs decreases. This can be solved by using donated eggs.

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.

There is about a 2% risk of ectopic pregnancy with IVF (this is 1% in natural pregnancy). The risk is higher in women with damaged fallopian tubes (e.g. following inflammation). We can detect ectopic pregnancy during an ultrasound scan.

The number of embryos in one transfer does not affect the success of assisted reproduction. The chances of getting pregnant can be increased with repeated transfers. Therefore, we recommend introducing only one embryo at each transfer and freezing the remaining embryos which, in case of failure can be used for repeated embryo transfer.

Each donor undergoes a comprehensive range of tests and examinations, which include:

• An assessment of their general health, including BMI
• Gynaecological examination
• Establishing their family history
• Genetic testing of the donor’s blood
• Interview with a geneticist
• Test for sexually transmitted diseases

Donors are usually aged 20-30. According to Czech laws, women up to the age of 35 can donate their eggs. We also have some donors who are over the age of 30, but have already successfully donated eggs, i.e., the recipients are pregnant or have already given birth to healthy children. These successful donors can continue to donate even after the age of 30.

Donation is anonymous. We only provide information about the year of birth, blood type, eye colour, hair colour, height, weight and education.

Blood type and Rh factor are not important for the success of treatment. Immunoglobulin, which suppresses the production of antibodies to the D antigen, is preventively administered to women with negative Rh factor during pregnancy.

Definitely yes. This is evidenced by experience in countries where the anonymity of donors was abolished. These countries (e.g. the United Kingdom) are facing a shortage of egg and sperm donors. Because the donation of eggs and sperm is mutually anonymous, i.e., the recipients are also anonymous to the donor, a situation cannot arise in which the biological mother or father, i.e., the egg or sperm donor, makes a later claim on your future child. According to the current laws of the Czech Republic, a child conceived from a donated egg or sperm has no right to learn the identity of their biological parent or parents, even after reaching the age of 18.

As we have a large database of donors (more than 500 suitable active donors) and thus we can select a suitable donor very quickly. It usually takes 2 months to select a suitable donor, including synchronisation of her menstrual cycle with the recipient´s.

Women up to the age of 49 can undergo IVF treatment. At the same time, under valid Czech laws, IVF can only be performed for couples consisting of a woman and a man. Therefore, a woman must apply for IVF together with her male partner. Health insurance companies cover IVF up to the age of 39. Every woman is entitled to 3 IVF cycles in her life. If only one embryo was transferred in the first two cycles, the woman is entitled to 4 cycles.

Under valid Czech legislation, treatment at IVF clinics is only available to heterosexual couples. An application for IVF treatment must be signed by a man and a woman, though not necessarily a married couple.

It is not necessary to be married for IVF. However, a statutory condition is the written consent of both partners (a woman and a man). This also applies for the treatment of infertility using donated cells.

Under valid legislation, it is only possible to determine the gender of a child if one of the parents is the carrier of a serious genetic disorder that is linked to one sex.