Fertility journey

Your first visit  

The initial consultation is a non-binding conversation and the first step in the process. The purpose of the interview is to clarify your situation and discuss an assessment and treatment plan. You may already be clear and ready to start a proper course of treatment. We will talk about your infertility and discuss any health challenges that might have an impact on fertility treatment. 

Ultrasound scan of the uterus and ovaries  

If you are a woman undergoing IVF treatment, hormone-stimulated insemination or donor egg treatment, you will also have an ultrasound scan of your uterus and ovaries. We will also provide an overview of the tests that need to be carried out in order to start a proper course of treatment.  

Have you had fertility treatment before?  

If you have received fertility treatment in the past, it would be helpful if we could obtain a copy of your medical records, stimulation charts and laboratory charts describing the development of your eggs and the quality of your partner's sperm. You are welcome to send these copies to us before the appointment, by post or email.   

If you have not previously been in fertility treatment, we will ask you to have an assessment, including hormone tests (AMH, TSH, TPO, etc), and to complete an electronic medical record on our website in order to optimise your treatment. Our fertility doctors will look at the test results and decide what possible courses of treatment you should be offered. You will then be contacted by one of our secretaries.  

Hormone therapy  

To increase the chances of successful fertility treatment, we start hormone therapy within the first three days of your period. The follicle stimulating hormone (FSH) promotes follicle growth so that more eggs mature simultaneously in the ovaries. The hormone treatment is given once a day in the form of an injection and lasts 11-13 days, depending on the maturation of your eggs. You can easily give yourself the injection at home, which our team will show you how to do.   

After about seven days of treatment, the size of the eggs is checked by ultrasound and the hormone dose is adjusted if necessary. In addition, this examination can show the optimal time for ovulation. 

Induction of ovulation  

If the eggs have grown sufficiently and can be fertilised, the FSH injections are stopped, as are any injections of GnRH analogues. Ovulation is induced with an hCG injection. You can take this yourself at home, under our supervision.  

Egg retrieval and artificial insemination  

About 36 hours after ovulation, the mature eggs can be removed from the ovaries. Under local anaesthesia, the follicles are punctured with a fine needle inserted through the vagina and the eggs are removed. You will then stay with us for a few hours for observation.  

The eggs taken are fertilised the same day in our laboratories. For this, we need a fresh sperm sample or frozen sperm. We monitor the fertilised eggs in our incubators, where their progress is filmed 24 hours a day.   

After the egg collection, our embryologists will keep you updated on the progress over the next few days in the laboratory and agree on the further course of action.  

Transferring the fertilised egg  

The fertilized egg is usually transferred within a few days of egg collection. It is a routine procedure that only takes a few minutes and can be performed without anaesthesia. At this stage, the fertilised egg is barely visible to the naked eye and is contained in a tiny drop of medium, and it is this tiny drop that is implanted in the uterus using a soft plastic catheter, usually without any pain. 

As soon as the fertilised egg is in the uterus, it can attach itself to the uterine lining and develop further. You can go home immediately after the procedure  

You should take a pregnancy test about 2 weeks after the procedure. If the result is positive, you can make an appointment with us for the first ultrasound scan about 3 weeks later. If it is negative, we will discuss the next steps.  

During treatment, be aware of: 

Relaxation and patience 

Fertility treatment involves a lot of waiting, and we know how difficult it is both physically and mentally. Nevertheless, try to carry on with your normal life, and take time to do something good for yourself.  

Sports, swimming and sex  

Especially after the fertilized egg has been transferred, it is important to avoid hard sports, but regular exercise and daily life are fine. You should avoid swimming in a pool or the sea on the same day as the egg transfer because of the risk of infection. You can have sex without reducing the chance of pregnancy.   

Medication  

You should continue with the medication that has been prescribed. If you need to take other medicines, remember to tell your doctor that you may be pregnant.  

After treatment 

If you become pregnant after treatment, we would like to hear from you about the rest of your pregnancy and your birth, as our results must be reported to the Danish Health Authority (Sundhedsstyrelsen). 

When you contact us after giving birth, we need to know the date of birth, the sex, weight and length of the newborn, whether the birth went smoothly and whether the birth was planned by Caesarean section.  

If you would like to share your joy with others who are undergoing fertility treatment or who have already become parents, you are welcome to send us photos and a short text, which we will share in our gallery and on our social media sites.