Frequently asked questions

1. I am before treatment with donor oocytes
2. I am before embryotransfer
3. I am after embryotransfer
4. I have a positive test
5. My test is negative

1. I am before treatment with donor oocytes

How do we select the donors?

The method of selecting donors is highly sophisticated. The selection takes place well in advance with the aim to meet as many of your requirements as possible. All donors must have a full 12-year education and they must be citizens of the Czech Republic. At our clinic we only use eggs from young healthy donors – women under 32.  To enter the donation programme the donor must meet very strict criteria.

Is donation anonymous?

Oocyte donation is bilaterally anonymous.

Do you need my photo to find a donor for me?

Your photo is not necessary for the selection of a donor.

More information about selection of a suitable donor can be found here.

When is the donor selected?

 The suitable donor is selected 6 weeks prior to oocyte retrieval.

When do I get any information about the donor?

 Information about the donor (such as age and blood group) will be provided 2 to 3 weeks before oocyte retrieval.

What are the donors tested for?

The suitable donor must have negative results for sexually transmitted diseases, we also examine the karyotype and cystic fibrosis. 

List of tests performed on donors can be found here.

What is the maximum age of the recipient?

 The treatment can be performed until 49th birthday of the recipient.

Which tests and examinations do I need for treatment?

Women over 45 are recommended to undergo mammography and they need a certificate from their gynaecologist that they can withstand pregnancy.

• You and your partner will need a STD test statement (sexually transmitted diseases) not older than 6 months.
• Your partner will need the results of his sperm count analysis.

How do I tell the first day of my period if I usually have a bloody show earlier?

Bloody show is not the start of menstruation period. The first day of the period is the occurrence of strong menstrual bleeding; if it starts after 8 PM the next day will be the first day of your period.

How many days of partner’s sexual abstinence are needed?

We recommend 2 days of sexual abstinence, especially to ensure a sufficient volume of ejaculate for laboratory processing. On the other hand it is not necessary to resort to long-term abstinence, because it may negatively impact the morphology and motility of the sperm. 

How to enhance the quality of sperm before sampling?

Sperm quality is a result of multiple factors that influenced the given man over the last three months before sampling. Therefore no special regime is required during the short period before ejaculate sampling. 

2. I am before embryotransfer

When will embryotransfer take place?

The embryotransfer is planned by the physician in co-operation with embryologist and the patient. Transfer takes place on the 2nd, 3rd or 5th day following donor egg retrieval. The co-ordinator will inform you about the date and time of embryotransfer and she will also provide information about the development of your embryos.

How many embryos will be transferred?

 We usually transfer one or two embryos maximum. Surplus quality embryos can be frozen.

What is the supposed quality of the embryos on the individual days?

The quality of embryos can be assessed from the second day of their development. Two-day-old embryo should consist of 3-4 cells. Three-day-old embryo has 6-8 cells. On the fourth day the embryo becomes a morula and it is very hard to assess its quality. On the 5th day the embryo becomes a blastocyst.

What shall I bring for embryotransfer?

You do not need to bring anything special for embryotransfer. Bring all your signed consents with your treatment and also signed consent with freezing of embryos, if you wish to preserve the surplus embryos by freezing.

Do I need to come with full bladder before the transfer?

You do not need to come with extremely full bladder for embryotransfer. We just recommend not emptying your bladder immediately before the embryotransfer. Half-full bladder helps to keep the uterus in an upright position and facilitates the transfer of embryos into the uterus.

How long will the transfer take?

Uncomplicated transfer takes 3 - 5 minutes. After transfer you will remain lying at the theatre for 10 - 15 minutes. After that you can go home.

Can my partner be with me during the transfer?

Presence of your partner during embryotransfer is a standard (unless you wish otherwise).

3. I am after embryotransfer

Do I have to stay in bed after the transfer?

After embryotransfer you do not need to lay still. We recommend the usual daily routine with elimination of stress factors such as physically challenging sports or hard manual work. Sick leave from work is not necessary.  

When can I go home after embryotransfer?

After embryotransfer you do not have withdraw from trave. Our patients usually travel home on the day of the embryotransfer, or the day after. You can use any means of transport for your journey home.

When do the embryos nest inside the uterus?

Embryos nest (nidulate) in the uterine mucosa usually on the 6th - 8th day after fertilisation, which is 24 - 48 hours following embryotransfer.

I started to have a bloody show, is it normal?

You may have a light bloody show after embryotransfer but it should not last more than one day. It is caused by slight bruising of the uterine cervix during transfer. This show does not impact the result of your treatment. Heavier or longer bleeding shall be consulted with your physician.

Do I need to continue taking all the medications?

Continue using all the medications that you used before embryotransfer - it is always at least progesteron . If you also used Estrimax, Anopyrin or immunosuppressive drugs before embryotransfer, continue using them further. 

I am not feeling well after progesteron, what shall I do?

If you swallowed progesteron, start inserting it into the vagina (in the same dose) twice per day (in the morning and evening). If you are inserting it already, you can switch to progesteron gel (Crinone).

When shall I do the pregnancy test?

Do the pregnancy test after two weeks following embryotransfer; the exact date is stated in the final report.

Pregnancy urine test is negative, what shall I do?

In case of negative test from urine you can undergo pregnancy testing from blood just to be sure. If the negative result is confirmed stop using all the medications relating to your treatment at our clinic.

How do I know that my embryos were frozen?

During the week following embryotransfer you will be informed about the freezing of your embryos by e-mail. Please do not call the clinic, the nurses do not know the information about your embryos.

When can I have sex with my partner?

You can get back to your normal sexual life after three days following embryotransfer.

How long shall I wait if the first round of treatment failed?

 We will offer you continued treatment in the closest possible term.4. I have a positive test

I have a positive test, what to do next?

Please continue using all your medications. If it was a pregnancy test from urine, you can confirm the result by blood test, but it is not necessary. Book for ultrasound examination after 14 days following the positive test.

I have a bloody show, what shall I do?

Do not stop using any of the medications, plenty of resting is recommended. Increase your progesteron dose by two pills in the midday. In case that you have a bloody show before the term of your pregnancy test, wait and  take the test on the given day. In case of already confirmed positive result please book for blood screening after three days following the test.

4. My test is positive

When to go for ultrasound screening?

Ultrasound screening shall be performed after 3 - 4 weeks following embryotransfer.

How many weeks am I actually pregnant?

The length of pregnancy (number of weeks and days of your pregnancy) in natural cycle is not counted from the date of fertilisation, but always from the first day of your last period. This method is applied also in cycles of assisted reproduction, although we know the exact date of conception. To calculate the approximate length of your pregnancy use the day of embryotransfer as day 19. This means that on the day of transfer you have been pregnant for 2 weeks and 5 days.

How to continue using the medicaments?

Use all the medicaments without any changes (unless the physician told you otherwise before the transfer) until the first ultrasound screening , which shall be planned after 14 days following the positive pregnancy test.

I am in the 8th week, shall I still use all the medicaments?

We recommend using all the medicaments without any change until the end of the 8th week of pregnancy. Of course every patient is using different medications and getting off them is always individual. In general we can say that you can quit immunosuppressives after the ultrasound proof of foetal heart action. Dose of oestrogens and progesteron can be reduced to half after week 8 and stopped completely after 7 more days. Accurate timing of getting off medicaments after successful IVF cycle must be always consulted with your physician.

5. My test is negative

I have a negative urine test but I am not bleeding. Is there still hope?

All tests from urine are not equally sensitive, please repeat the test with a different type of urine strip after 2 days, and if it is still negative and you start to bleed, it means your treatment was not successful. If the test is negative and you are not bleeding, or have just light bloody show, it is necessary to test again from blood.

Who shall I contact for what to do next?

To evaluate your unsuccessful treatment and to determine further treatment strategies please book a consultation with your physician who designed your treatment plan within 10 - 14 days. You can book by e-mail or by phone.

Shall I continue using the medicaments?

If you had repeatedly negative pregnancy tests, you can get off all the medications at once. The only exception are immunosuppressives in a dose over 10 mg (2tbl) per day. Consult your prescribing physician about getting off Immunosuppressives gradually.

When can I start another treatment?

If you have frozen embryos from a previous cycle with donor eggs you can, plan cryoembryotransfer for the next following cycle. If you need a new treatment with donor oocytes, you can perform it after 3-4 months. Please consult your physician about the next steps.

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What information about the donors are provided?

For the purposes of protecting the donors, only information about their year of birth and blood group has been provided since 2010. Other information about the donors (hair colour, eye colour, height and weight) will not be provided to the patients.