We always start the treatment with an initial consultation. This is a part of our philosophy, which emphasises a personal aproach to each patient at each stage of treatment. We have a "one doctor – one patient” principle. This means that the same doctor whom you see at your initial consultation will co-ordinate the entire treatment process, including matching to a suitable donor, preparing you for the egg collection, collecting the eggs and finally transferring the embryo or embryos to you.
The waiting time for this initial visit is 1 – 2 months. Because we have a huge bank of screened sperm donors available, we are able to match a donor within 2 weeks and perform the treatment within 2 months after the initial interview.
For the first appointment you will need only one day, but it is naturally a very pleasant idea to combine your visit with a nice long weekend in St. Petersburg. Please note, that any documentation about your previous tests and/or treatment methods would be valuable for understanding your case. We also require a letter from your local general doctor giving us information about your common state of health and having no contraindications to pregnancy. This letter can be brought to the first or second visit.
The second visit needs 8 days if ovary stimulation takes place under control of a local gynecologist. In this case you come only for the egg collection and embryo transfer. If the whole process including ovary stimulation takes place in St. Petersburg, the duration of your stay should be not less than 2,5 weeks.
The initial consultation includes:
- gathering and structuring your medical data
- an ultrasound scan of your ovaries and uterus
- an evaluation of your chances of success, according to your medical history and scan
- laboratory blood tests (if required)
- discussing and fixing the criteria for selecting the sperm donor according to your individual wishes
- making a precise and convenient schedule to prepare the patient for the egg retrival and the embryo transfer, including the exact dates of the second visit
- prescribing the medication if required (otherwise it can be prescribed by a local doctor)
The costs of the initial consultation including ultrasound scan are 120 Euro. All the laboratory examinations as well as sperm examination and sperm freezing are not included in the costs of the initial consultation and if done, should be paid separately.
Here you can find the listing of the laboratory tests (incl. costs) required for all the patients undergoing treatment at O.L.G.A. Fertility Clinic. They should be valid to the time the treatment starts. We do not require them to be ready to the initial visit. We just ask you to make inquires at your local doctor's and to let us know if you would like to do them at your initial visit at O.L.G.A. Fertility Clinic or at the home country.
Please note, that other tests may be recommended to the couple individually at the initial consultation according to the previous history.
In some patients (20-30% of people who come to the initial consultation) it is not possible to schedule the treatment at the initial consultation if your medical check up reveal the presence of cysts, myomas at a specific location, polyps, adenomyosis, endometriosis, unbalanced thyroid hormones, or menstrual cycle abnormalies. These conditions often reduce pregnancy rates, so it can take some months to treat them to optimise your chances. After you have successfully completed treatment for these conditions, we will send you a schedule by e-mail.
Reasons for the initial consultation
One reason why the success rate is so high at O.L.G.A. Fertility Clinic is that all our patients come for an initial consultation before undergoing treatment. By performing our own up-to-date ultrasound, sperm and blood tests, and by discussing the medical history of our patients thoroughly, we are able to offer everyone the best possible chance of giving birth to a healthy child.
For example, we know from experience that the 20-30% of patients who have the type of conditions listed above have a better chance of success once these problems have been resolved. We are sorry to say that there is very small percentage of patients who have absolute contraindications to the treatment or such low chances that we are forced to say no to egg donation treatment. That is hard, but saves the patient a lot of unnecessary investment and false hopes.
The initial visit has also a very important psychological aspect. Fertility treatment is an extremely stressful experience. Having to travel to a strange country for egg donation is yet another factor that adds to the stress. When you visit the new country for the first time, the stress is greatest because you have to discover out how to book flights, look for hotels, organise a visa(!), and search for the clinic in the city... Lots of arrangements have to be made, and you may worry about whether you will arrive on time and what our clinic and doctors are like.
Apart from all the important medical issues of the initial consultation, please look at this visit as a good opportunity to make your second visit (for the actual sperm donation) as smooth as possible. For example, you will already be familiar with the visa process, you will arrive in a city you already know, the same driver will probably pick you up at the airport, you will stay in a hotel you know (or at a better one that you noticed during your first visit), you will be confident that the clinic is just around the corner from your hotel, and you will know what our clinic and your doctor look like…And when you come for the second time, you will already be sure that you can trust us all to do our very best for you.
We always try to make your visit convenient for you by scheduling it according to your wishes, and we can help with booking a hotel close to the clinic. O.L.G.A. Fertility Clinic is located in the middle of St. Petersburg, with dozens of hotels and interesting sights within walking distance.
We hope to be able to help you fulfil your wish for a child, and look forward to hearing from you soon.