Our IVF Experience

Choosing Reprofit was an easy choice for my husband and I.  We had read about many couple's experiences and also found several reviews about the clinic online. We also worked with our consultant, Paloma, with Miracles Waiting.  She answered all of our questions and scheduled all of our appointments. This left us with only a few decisions left to make, our hotel and flight arrangements.

To make our arrangements we used various travel sites. I used Priceline.com to reserve our airfare and went through Venere.com to make our hotel arrangements. I had heard that the best fares are often on Priceline and after many comparisons determined that Venere had the best rates by far than any other hotel site.  Since we had already been planning a trip to Eastern Europe, it did not take much additional planning to incorporate a trip to Brno from Prague.  Brno is also only a two hour bus ride away from Prague, so we were able to add this to our itinerary easily.

We flew into Prague and spent several days site seeing.  From Prague we arranged to take a Student Agency bus to Brno.  The bus dropped us off right in the center of Brno and from there we took a taxi to our hotel, Hotel Cyro.  The hotel was close to Reprofit and only a $5.00 fare to and from the clinic.

The outside of the Reprofit clinic was bright and welcoming. It was clean with white floors and modern furniture.  The nurses all wore nurses outfits similar to what nurses wear here in the states.  To our surprise we were greeted in English and everyone was very nice and courteous.  The nurse gave us some paperwork to fill out and then we waited for the doctor to arrive for our initial appointment. 

When the Dr. arrived she was very nice and greeted us with a thick Czech accent, yet spoke fluent English.  She looked over our medical records and gave us an idea of what to expect the day of our Frozen Embryo Transfer (FET).  From there she directed me to another room where she performed a trans-vaginal ultrasound. I asked about my Fibroids and if she thought they would be a problem. She mentioned that they were large but that she didn't think they would be an issue. After the ultrasound was complete she took us back into her office and explained what would happen during our procedure. We then shook hands and left the clinic.

We returned to the clinic the next day. Upon our arrival our nurse quickly escorted us to the room where our procedure would take place.  I changed my clothes and then waited for the Dr.  It only took a few moments for the Dr. to arrive.  He explained the procedure and then showed us our embryos up on the monitor. The procedure only took a few moments.  Afterward, we were escorted to the Dr.'s office where he explained our next steps, the hormones that I was required to take, how long I was to wait before taking a pregnancy test, and what I would need to do if the procedure was a success.  From there we were directed to the Accounts Payable department where we paid for the FET and the Trans Vaginal exam. 

Once downstairs we went to the pharmacy and filled our prescriptions for Estrace (Estrogen) and Progesterone. Buying them at the clinic rather than back in the states was significantly cheaper.  Two weeks of progesterone and estrogen cost me $150.00.  In the states I would have paid closer to $500. I was required to take both the estrogen and progesterone for two weeks before the procedure and then another two weeks after the procedure. If everything went successfully I was to take then keep taking the progesterone for 12 weeks into my pregnancy.  Unfortunately, our FET was not successful.  However, now that we are planning our second trip, we have enough to get us through our next trip to Brno.  

Overall, my husband and I were very happy with our experience and have started planning our next trip scheduled for this October.

Why we chose IVF in the Czech Republic

Unfortunately, our first efforts with a European fertility clinic did not result in a pregnancy.  Of course we realize that it may take more than one procedure to realize our goal. Notwithstanding this, we had such a great experience at the clinic that we have already began planning our second trip for this October.  We also decided that because we had such a positive experience we should share our stories and any information that may help others make the same decisions we did.

Our first experience took place at Reprofit, a fertility clinic in Brno, Czech Republic.  I just happened to stumble upon the clinic while searching for cheaper IVF options here in America.  It also just so happened that we were already in the process of planning a trip to Eastern Europe for our vacation.  So when I found the Reprofit website it seemed like fate.  Even more surprising were the prices.  When researching their prices we were shocked by how much cheaper they were than any of the clinics we had looked at in America.

Since we were now very intrigued, we decided to find out as much information as possible about the clinic.  I did various searches trying to find as much information as possible. I was able to find fertility discussion sites where women had either gone to Reprofit for fertility treatments or were planning to go to, just like us.  Luckily, I had made several connections and learned as much as I could about the clinic.   These women were a wealth of information and eased our worries and concerns about traveling to another country for fertility treatments.

However, rather than calling the clinic directly we went through an organization affiliated with the cilnic, Miracles Waiting.   Our coordinator's name is Paloma.  She arranged our appointments and was in constant contact with us and the clinic.  She helped alleviate any of our concerns and was available to answer all of our questions.  Had it not been for Paloma, I do not think we would have made it through.  She has been nothing short of a godsend. 

Planning our trip to Prague and Brno was not as complicated as I initially thought it would be.  We had heard from a friend that it is cheaper to fly through Dublin and then use European no frills airlines to fly to Prague.  We chose to fly from New York to Dublin on Aer Lingus into Dublin and then took another flight on the same airline from Dublin to Prague.  Had we flown directly into Prague on an American airline our flight would have cost considerably more money.  By flying into Dublin and then flying on Aer Lingus into Prague, we saved around $500. From Prague we took a Student Agency bus directly into Brno which cost us $14.00 a piece roundtrip.  From the Brno train station we caught a cab to our hotel that cost $2.00 total.  Getting to the clinic cost another $6.00 round trip. 

All in all between airfare, hotel costs, food, and clinic costs we spent a total of $5,200.00 - Frozen Embryo transfer $2200.00, airfare $1500.00, hotels $700.00, food $500.00, transportation $300.00.

We had a great experience.  We now have hope that our dreams of having a child together will soon become a reality and we've had the opportunity to experience the Czech Republic in the process!

Please continue to join us as we continue our IVF journey and discuss the many affordable fertility options available throughout Europe. 

Affordable IVF Options Available in Europe!!!

Although my husband and I both had children from our first marriages, we agreed early on that we would like to have a child together.  However, after trying to conceive naturally for many years and then undertaking numerous fertility tests, we were told that our options were limited.  We were not candidates for IUI or IVF treatments.  Our only options were either to accept sperm and egg donations or to seek an embryo donation.  After researching the cost of both of these treatments here in America, we determined that the costs were out of our price range. While initially I was resigned to my fate, I soon was back online looking for other options. Just by chance, I stumbled across fertility clinics in Europe that offered treatment to Americans. To my great surprise, the cost of such treatments was a fraction of the cost here in America. Even after adding the cost of travel, the cost was very affordable.

The costs associated with embryo donation here in America can range anywhere from $8,000 to $35,000. However, in countries like the Czech Republic, the costs are roughly 25% of the costs in American hospitals (even after factoring in the cost of the travel). There are also many affordable options in other countries in Europe. The quality of healthcare is also comparable to the quality that you would expect in American medical centers. The facilities in Europe are clean and modern and the staff and doctors are well educated. Most of the staff at these centers speak fluent English. 

If you are having trouble affording the costs of fertility treatments in America, Europe is a great option! Follow along with our blog as we discuss the many fertility options available, including travel suggestions and advice.