What is infertility?
Infertility is a fairly common problem. About 15 percent of couples are unable to conceive after one year of trying. In about a third of cases, infertility is caused by female reproductive issues. In another third of cases, it is because of the man. The rest of the cases, it is because both female and male factors are involved or due to unknown causes.
Assisted reproduction technology has increased in popularity throughout Western nations in recent years. It’s estimated that over 8 million children were born as a result of IVF and other assisted reproduction techniques.
What fertility treatments are available to me?
Fertility treatments are based on the cause of your infertility. Assisted reproductive technology (ART) uses different techniques to help couples have a child. Some treatment options include:
IVF with ICSI in Cyprus
IVF with ICSI is a type of IVF (in vitro fertilization) treatment that is used to treat a wide range of infertility problems in both women and men. ICSI stands for Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection. With ICSI, the EuroCARE IVF embryologists take a single sperm and inject it directly into each collected egg.
We offer ICSI for every IVF treatment in Cyprus at no extra cost to ensure that only the best sperm is selected for fertilization — whether you are using your own or donor eggs, or your partner’s or donor sperm.
When is ICSI in Cyprus needed?
ICSI in Cyprus is an option for men struggling with severe infertility, including:
- Very low sperm count (oligospermia)
- Abnormal sperm morphology (teratozoospermia)
- Low sperm motility (asthenozoospermia)
Abnormal sperm production is one of the most common causes of male infertility. If a man struggles to produce sperm in his ejaculate due to an intrinsic impairment of the testes or hormone imbalance, sperm may be retrieved through micro TESE. Sperm retrieved through micro TESE requires the use of ICSI.
Other reasons for ICSI in Cyprus include:
- Few eggs are being collected
- Frozen sperm is being used
- Frozen eggs are being used
- Frozen embryos are being used
ICSI in Cyprus is a routine procedure carried out in every IVF treatment performed at the EuroCARE IVF clinic in Cyprus in order to improve the chances of fertilization and increase the possibility of IVF success.
IVF with ICSI in Cyprus Procedure
- Fertility Testing and Diagnosis
ICSI is carried out at the EuroCARE IVF lab as a part of IVF in Cyprus. Initially, you will need to carry out the required fertility tests, including:
- Hormone testing
- HIV, HBsAg, and Anti-HCV testing
- Ultrasounds
The male partner will also be required to have fertility testing done prior to the treatment. This includes:
- HIV, HBsAg, and Anti-HCV testing
- Sperm analysis
2. Ovarian Stimulation and Monitoring
Prior to starting IVF treatment in Cyprus, you may be prescribed birth control pills to suppress your natural cycle. The day you get your period is the first official day of your IVF treatment in Cyprus. On the second or third day of your period, you will start to take IVF hormone injections to encourage the ovaries to produce more eggs. The type and dosage of medications are determined by our EuroCARE IVF specialist based on your fertility test results.
During the stimulation phase, regular blood tests and ultrasounds are carried out to keep track of the egg development and check the size of the follicles/eggs. You will receive instructions on how to give yourself the injections.
Monitoring the cycle is very important. This is how our doctor will decide if the medication protocol needs to be adjusted. The medication dosage may need to be increased or decreased depending on your response of the ovaries.
3. Egg Maturation
Once the follicles reach 16 to 18 mm in size, the next step in the IVF treatment is stimulating follicles to go through the final maturation. Ovulation is triggered by a human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) injection.
Monitoring your ovaries will help our doctor to determine the right timing of the final hCG injection (also known as trigger shot). Once administered, the trigger shot will start to take effect on your ovaries, stimulating them to ovulate and release eggs from the follicles.
4. Egg Retrieval
About 34 to 36 hours after you had the hCG injection (trigger shot), the egg retrieval procedure will be performed at the EuroCARE IVF clinic in Cyprus. Using transvaginal ultrasound for visualization, a fine needle will be inserted through the cervix, up to your ovaries. Multiple eggs will be aspirated from the follicles. The collected eggs will be then given to the embryology lab for fertilization.
5. Fertilization
The collected eggs will be evaluated by the EuroCARE IVF embryologists to determine if they are mature enough to be fertilized with the sperm. ICSI is done approx. 2-4 hours after the egg retrieval. Fertilization of the eggs takes place within 16 – 20 hours.
Your partner will provide a semen sample the same day you have egg retrieval. The sample is processed in the lab to separate the sperm from the other components. Single healthy-looking sperm cells are then injected into an egg to achieve fertilization. Alternatively, the male partner can provide sperm before the egg retrieval day, which will then be frozen (sperm cryopreservation) and thawed on the egg retrieval day.
6. Embryo Transfer
Fertilized eggs are incubated overnight and cultured for a few days. During this time, embryos are evaluated using a microscope or, in some cases, genetic screening is performed. There are two types of genetic screening techniques performed at EuroCARE IVF in North Cyprus – PGS (preimplantation genetic screening) and PGD (preimplantation genetic diagnosis).
Depending on the number of embryos, their quality and stage of development as well as your age, our embryologists will select the best-looking embryos for transfer. During the embryo transfer, a catheter (a thin, soft tube) will be passed through your cervix and into the uterine cavity where embryos will be inserted to attempt a pregnancy.
7. Embryo freezing
If there are left over high-quality embryos, you can freeze them for future use. This process is called embryo cryopreservation and allows you to use your embryos in future IVF cycles.
8. Pregnancy Test
Twelve days after the embryo transfer, a beta hCG blood test is carried out to check if pregnancy has occurred. If the test is positive, you will be monitored through occasional blood tests and ultrasounds to keep track of your pregnancy.
9. Progesterone Supplementation
You may be prescribed progesterone supplements after the embryo transfer to help your uterus create a favorable environment for the embryos to attach to the wall and continue growing.
IVF with Egg Donation in Cyprus
IVF with egg donation is a highly successful fertility treatment that is recommended for patients who have diminished ovarian reserve (low egg supply) or no longer produce quality eggs. Egg donation success rates are very high due to the utilization of healthy eggs obtained from in-house donors.
Egg donation in Cyprus makes it possible for individuals and couples to achieve their lifelong dream of building a family. Our support team will guide you every step of the way, help you to find the right egg donor, and ensure the egg donation process is going well.
Who should use an egg donor in Cyprus?
- women with diminished ovarian reserve (egg supply)
- women who are carriers of a genetic disease
- women with poor quality of eggs
- women with multiple failed IVF cycles
- women with a low response to ovulation stimulation drugs
- women with damaged or removed reproductive organs after cancer treatment or surgery
Anonymous Egg Donation in Cyprus
Anonymity between donors and recipients is guaranteed, meaning that neither the couple nor the donor is allowed to know personal information about each other. Every potential egg donor undergoes extensive testing before becoming a donor. This includes:
- Infectious disease testing (Anti-HIV, Anti-HCV, Rubella IgG, CMV IgG, HbsAg, VDRL)
- Karyotyping
- Genetic disease testing
- Hormone testing
- Ultrasound scans
Only candidates that will pass the screening process will be selected for our EuroCARE IVF egg donation program. Based on the desired characteristics that you want in a donor, our team will help you make the right choice.
How does IVF with donor eggs work?
- Ovarian stimulation
Egg donors receive fertility medications for 10-12 days as prescribed in their protocol to stimulate egg production. During this time, the donor has regular ultrasounds and blood tests to check the growth of the ovaries/eggs. As soon as the eggs reach maturity, an hCG injection is administered and after 34 to 36 hours the eggs are collected.
2. Egg retrieval
The egg retrieval procedure takes about 15 minutes. Using ultrasound-guided aspiration, our EuroCARE IVF doctor will draw out multiple mature eggs from the donor’s ovaries.
3. Uterine lining preparation
By administering hormones, the recipient’s uterus is prepared to accept the embryos and support early pregnancy. The uterus is monitored by hormone blood tests and ultrasounds. Once the uterine lining becomes at least 7 mm thick, the embryo transfer takes place.
4. Fertilization
The retrieved eggs are fertilized in the laboratory with the father’s (or donor) sperm and are then cultured for three to five days. Fertilized eggs (embryos) are graded for quality and selected for transfer.
5. Embryo transfer
Embryo transfer is performed on day three or day five after the egg fertilization takes place. The embryos are closely monitored before being selected for the transfer. The number of embryos transferred depends on the quality and stage of development. Maternal age is an important factor, too.
6. Pregnancy test
Twelve days after the egg collection a beta hCG blood test is performed. If the test result is positive, you can contact your gynecologist for a follow-up to make sure your pregnancy is going well.
IVF with Gender Selection
Gender Selection in Cyprus is a procedure that allows patients to choose the sex of their baby as part of IVF. The selection of the baby’s gender is available for the EuroCARE IVF patients through PGS (Preimplantation Genetic Screening) testing and Swim Up Methods. Gender Selection through PGS testing identifies the gender of embryos with more than 99 percent accuracy.
How does Gender Selection in Cyprus work?
The gender(sex) of an embryo depends on whether the sperm cell is carrying an X or Y chromosome. The woman’s egg only contains the X chromosome. If the sperm carries a Y chromosome, the resulting baby will be male (XY). Two X chromosomes – one X from the sperm and one X from the egg – will create a baby girl (XX).
Gender Selection Methods in Cyprus
PGS testing is a procedure carried out during IVF in Cyprus in which embryos are screened for chromosomal abnormalities before transfer. Three days after fertilization of the woman’s eggs, a single cell is removed from each of the developing embryos. The embryo biopsy does not damage the embryo. The single cell’s chromosomal composition and gender are evaluated in the lab under a microscope. Each embryo gets evaluated based on quality and gender. Only high-quality embryos of the desired sex are selected for the transfer.
The Swim Up method is another technique used in IVF in Cyprus for the purpose of gender selection. This gender selection method involves separating individual sperm based on their weight into ‘female’ and ‘male’ batches. This process is known as sperm sorting. Separating the desired sperm allows our EuroCARE IVF embryologists to create an embryo of the desired gender,
Family Balancing
Gender selection in Cyprus can be done due to medical and non-medical reasons. Parents sometimes choose to have a baby of the desired sex for personal reasons. This is known as family balancing. The decision to have a baby of a particular sex is usually done with the intention to achieve a balanced representation of both genders in their family.
When multiple quality embryos of different sexes are identified, you can request having embryos of the desired sex transferred. Extra embryos can be frozen for future IVF cycles. When you decide you want to use them, a procedure called Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET) will be carried out at our EuroCARE IVF clinic in Cyprus. You will have the ability to select the gender of your baby now and in the future!
IVF with Sperm Donation in Cyprus
Sperm Donation in Cyprus is a type of IVF treatment where donor sperm is used for fertilization of the woman’s eggs. Sperm donation is an option when the couple cannot conceive due to a fertility problem in the male partner or because there is no male partner.
All sperm donors have undergone comprehensive screening before being allowed to take part in the sperm donation program. There are a number of steps involved to assess the candidate’s suitability in becoming a sperm donor.
Our EuroCARE IVF clinic partners with a reputable sperm bank. All donor candidates must meet specific requirements for donor screening. In order to eliminate the risk of disease transmission, donors are tested for infectious disease. Donated sperm is then frozen
Choosing a donor to use for your IVF treatment in Cyprus is a very personal choice. Our EuroCARE IVF team will help you find the right match based on the details provided in the medical form.
Tandem IVF
Tandem IVF is a type of IVF treatment in Cyprus that uses your own eggs along with an additional set of eggs obtained from an egg donor. Tandem IVF in North Cyprus is a suitable treatment option for women with diminished ovarian reserve or poor quality eggs. With Tandem IVF, you can use own eggs while keeping donor eggs as a back-up plan. Having donor eggs will maximize your chances of pregnancy success.
Tandem IVF Cycle
The steps involved in a Tandem IVF cycle are exactly like the steps involved in IVF with ICSI described above. The only difference is that you are provided with an additional set of donor eggs that are fertilized with your partner’s or donor sperm at the same time when ICSI is carried out on your own eggs.
At the beginning of the Tandem IVF cycle, you will be asked to fill out a medical form with details about the characteristics and qualities you wish for in an egg donor. Based on the information you have provided in the form, our patient coordinator can effectively process your request and identify the most suitable donor profile based on your preferences.
Just like in an egg donation treatment, your egg donor in the Tandem IVF cycle will undergo an extensive testing, ovarian stimulation and egg retrieval. You will follow the same procedures as in an IVF treatment with own eggs.
Both sets of eggs will be fertilized using ICSI (intracytoplasmic sperm injection) and cultured for a few days in our EuroCARE IVF lab. Only the best embryos will be transferred on day three or day five after the egg retrieval. Twelve days after the embryo transfer, you will need a beta hCG test to check whether you are pregnant. If the pregnancy test result is positive, you will start receiving prenatal care.
Embryo Donation
Embryo donation is a form of third party assisted reproductive technology that combines egg donation and sperm donation to create embryos for implantation. The process of embryo donation in Cyprus is very similar to egg donation for obtaining the eggs and sperm donation for obtaining sperm from a sperm bank. Once the donor eggs and sperm are provided, we carry out the ICSI procedure in which eggs are fertilized with the sperm. Fertilized eggs (now embryos) start to develop in our lab and after three to five days, the best ones are transferred to the patient’s uterus with the intent to achieve a pregnancy. A pregnancy test measuring your hCG levels in the bloodstream is required to determine if the procedure worked.
You will be required to do hormone blood tests, infectious blood tests and HIV, Hepatitis B and C, and Trans-vaginal ultrasound scan to check the womb lining for any irregularities. You will be using medications to prepare your uterus for the embryo transfer and we will only ask you to come to Cyprus for three days. Embryo donation in Cyprus is a highly successful treatment because high-quality donor eggs and sperm are used for creating embryos that will eventually become your future baby.
Fertility treatments available at EuroCARE IVF
If pregnancy has not been established within a reasonable time, consider evaluation and exploration of alternative treatments to increase the chances of pregnancy. Available treatment options at the EuroCARE IVF clinic in Cyprus include IVF with ICSI, IVF with Egg, embryo or sperm donation, Gender selection, and Tandem IVF. The treatment you will be recommended will depend on what’s causing your infertility problem. Talk to our fertility doctor to review your case and discuss possible treatment options.