IVF is an effective treatment for infertility caused by various reasons.
IVF and ICSI are treatments for fertility where the egg is fertilized outside the body in a laboratory. This treatment method is the most effective in treating infertility. We utilize it when the chance of pregnancy with other treatment options is low. It is suitable for most causes of infertility and offers many couples and single women the best possibility of having a child.
You can start your fertility journey at Ovumia clinics without a referral or waiting time.
In IVF treatment, the woman’s egg is fertilized with a man’s sperm in a laboratory rather than naturally inside the body. The fertilized egg develops into an embryo, which is cultured in a laboratory incubator for 2–5 days before being transferred to the uterus to start a pregnancy.
Originally developed in the 1970s to treat infertility caused by blocked fallopian tubes, IVF has since become an effective fertility treatment for various conditions such as endometriosis, poor sperm quality, and unexplained infertility.
During a natural menstrual cycle, only one egg matures and ovulates. In IVF treatment, hormone therapy is used to stimulate the ovaries to produce several mature eggs at once.
The hormone treatment is tailored individually and typically lasts about 2 weeks. The injections are safe and easy to use. Progress is monitored with ultrasound scans and, if needed, blood tests. During treatment, you can continue your daily activities normally.
Having a child with your own gametes are not always achievable. At Ovumia, IVF can also be performed using donated gametes.
How are mature eggs collected from the ovaries? The procedure is done with a thin needle under ultrasound. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia and with intravenous pain reliever. On average, around 10 eggs are collected at one time, though the number varies individually, age being the most significant factor. The procedure takes about 30 minutes.
After egg collection, we will monitor the woman’s wellbeing at the clinic for a few hours, continuing to provide pain relief. Most patients need 1–3 days of sick leave. Driving is not allowed within 24 hours due to the heavy medication used during the procedure.
During IVF at Ovumia, the eggs and sperm are combined in carefully controlled laboratory conditions. The embryos are cultured in a specialized incubator that maintains the optimal temperature, humidity, and gas levels, mimicking the natural environment of the female reproductive system.
Fertilization and embryo development are monitored in stages. Typically, about 70% of eggs fertilize successfully, and 30–50% of these develop into high-quality embryos. The best embryo is selected from those for transfer 2–5 days after fertilization, while the remaining viable embryos are frozen for later use. On average, 30-40% fresh embryo transfers lead to a clinical pregnancy.
Sometimes, the most effective fertility treatment is intracytoplasmic sperm injection, or ICSI. During this microinjection technique, a single sperm is injected directly into an egg. ICSA treatment is especially beneficial when infertility is caused by the man’s poor sperm quality or quantity.
ICSI is also used when conventional IVF has failed to achieve fertilization. The process before and after fertilization is similar to IVF, including ovarian stimulation and egg collection. Any viable sperm is separated from the man’s semen test for injection.
With ICSA, we further the fertilization by taking one sperm to a mature egg. The fertilized eggs are monitored for normal development, and the results achieved with ICSI are comparable to those of standard IVF.
We check for fertilization 16–20 hours after the eggs and sperm are combined. It is possible to transfer the embryo already at this stage, but with a longer culture, we can better choose the strongest embryo.
Embryos are typically cultured for up to five days until they reach the blastocyst stage. Embryo transfer can also be performed at the cleavage stage, when the best embryos are typically four-cell embryos at two days old or eight-cell embryos at three days old.
We always plan the embryo culture based on each patient’s treatment history.
Embryo transfer is a procedure in which a 2–5-day-old embryo is placed into the uterine cavity. The embryo is transferred under ultrasound guidance using a special transfer catheter. To avoid multiple pregnancies, usually only one embryo is transferred at a time. The number of embryos to be transferred is decided by the doctor after discussing the couple’s treatment history and preferences. Hormonal medication is continued vaginally after the embryo transfer.
Often, there are more embryos suitable for transfer than can be used at once. In such cases, the remaining embryos are frozen. Frozen and thawed embryos can later be transferred if pregnancy has not occurred after a fresh transfer, or after childbirth when the family wishes to have another child.
A pregnancy test is performed two weeks after the embryo transfer. If the test is positive, the first ultrasound examination is carried out about five weeks after the transfer, either at Ovumia or at the patient’s local clinic. If the pregnancy progresses normally, further follow-up continues at the maternity clinic.
If you’re considering IVF, the first step is to book an initial consultation. You can easily book an appointment online or over the phone.
During your first visit, we review your medical history, plan the necessary tests, and create a personalized treatment plan tailored to your fertility goals.
The outcomes of infertility treatments and the well-being of children born from these treatments are monitored worldwide. Studies have shown that children conceived through fertility treatments have a higher chance of structural abnormalities compared to those conceived spontaneously. The best-known risks are related to severe male infertility, which may increase the likelihood of cryptorchidism (undescended testes) and urethral structural abnormalities in male offspring. However, when comparing these findings with children conceived without treatment after a long period of trying due to reduced fertility, no similar differences have been observed. Therefore, the slightly increased risks appear to be associated more with the underlying infertility itself rather than with the fertility treatments.
If pregnancy hasn’t occurred after six months of regular trying, it’s a good idea to schedule fertility testing.
Treatment duration depends on many factors and the woman/couple’s
prognosis. After the initial evaluation, we do our best to give a realistic
estimate on how many rounds of treatments may be necessary. Especially
with the light treatment methods (ovulation induction and
insemination), it’s important to understand that the treatment typically may need to be
repeated. With IVF, it may also take several cycles or embryo transfers
before a successful pregnancy is achieved.
In Finland, there is no legal age limit for fertility treatments. At Ovumia clinics in Finland, we treat women under the age of 47. At
our Ovumia Nova Vita clinic in Tallinn, we treat women under the age of 51.
Up to 80–85% of our patients receive help from our fertility treatments. The success rate varies and depends mainly on the woman’s age. Our doctors choose treatment options based on your individual needs to maximize your chances of having a child.
Your doctor will determine the most suitable treatment method after a thorough consultation. During the initial consultation, we
assess possible factors for infertility and perform thorough a medical examination and ultrasound. For men, we recommend a semen analysis if one has never been performed or it has been done over a year ago.
