Frequently Asked Questions

Most women are able to do their own injections during treatment. The majority of injections are done subcutaneously (on the abdomen or thighs). Before starting the treatment, we show you how to administer the injections. Instructions on how to make the subcutaneous or intramuscular injections in practice will be provided by our nurses at the center.

After starting the stimulation, you usually come to be checked every 2-3 days. An ultrasound scan and hormonal level check are carried out and the progress of your treatment is monitored (ovarian reaction, follicular development, endometrial thickness), and then any possible modifications are decided. Steps of each treatment are discussed in individual programs separately.

The hormonal level control and ultrasound scans are done together during morning hours. This ensures the blood samples sent for analysis will be processed and have results ready by noon. The typical time you should come to the center for these tests is 7.30-8.00 am.

Pregnyl is the last injection of the therapeutic process. It is administered approximately 36 hours before the eggs retrieval/collection. It is the most important injection during the treatment. It is done intramuscularly or subcutaneously, so it is important to administer correctly. Instructions on how to do it will be provided by our nurses at the center.

The process of egg collection is done under sedation. Sedation is administered intravenously with a combination of drugs that are able to eliminate the pain without the need for a respiratory depression. When contraindicated, it can be done under local anesthesia, if the number of eggs is small, as during the natural cycle. You come to AKESO at the assigned time to you, with an empty stomach. Your last meal would be the previous evening, no later than 8 pm. In addition, you should not drink water after midnight. Please, do not put any make up and have nail polish removed.

The time you should attend the center is designated by us. Usually, it is around 9 am . Since the process of egg collection is done under sedation, you should not eat after 8 pm the preious evening and should not drink water after midnight. Please, do not put any make up and have nails polish removed. The genital area should be shaved (in whatever way you choose), since it becomes the surgical field.

Your last sexual contact should be 3-4 days before the egg collection, in order to have enough sperm to produce a sample, and should not be resumed until 3-4 days after embryo transfer. 8.Will I have blood after the eggs collection? Is it normal? Shortly, after the egg collection, a little bit of blood is normal. It is usually brown, like at the end of a menstrual cycle, and it is caused by the needle that pricks the vagina during the egg collection.

The pain that a woman can have after the egg collection resembles the period pain and is progressively less. The same painkillers you take each month to relieve period pains, you can take after the eggs collection.

Most women after the egg collection go to work. It is advisable to avoid driving because your reflexes are reduced for a few hours after sedation. 11.How to prepare for the day of the embryo transfer? In the morning, you get up and pee once. Starting from your home, you should have drunken 1 bottle of water and do not go to the toilet to urinate, because we want to see urine in the bladder. Fill 2-3 glasses of water if necessary; so that the bladder is full at the time of transfer.

The embryo transfer procedure is painless, it is not done under sedation, such as an egg collection. It is a very simple process and resembles the process of test-smear (PAP test). Only if it is decided by the treating physician for a specific reason, then sedation is administered.

After the embryo transferring, you remain in bed lying at the center for 20 minutes. This time is sufficient, since studies have shown no improvement in the pregnancy rates with prolonged bed rest. However, it would be the first 3-4 days that you have limited activities, which you will increase progressively. You can go for a car ride or drive. If you live outside of Athens, you can return on the same day to your place by whatever means of transportation. It is allowed to do mild exercises, attend social events and activities. It is advisable to avoid alcohol and reduce smoking, if you smoke. Sexual intercourse is allowed after the first 3-4 days, although many patients feel better to wait until the pregnancy test.

The Utrogestan has 2 modes of administration, either orally or vaginally. Some women feel sleepy when they take through the mouth. In these cases, you can take it vaginally. However, the previous evening and on the day of embryo transfer; please do not put in the vagina.

You can color your hair throughout the IVF treatment before the embryo transport. It would be better to do so after the transfer until the pregnancy-test. If the test is positive, ideally, you should not color your hair until the 12th week of pregnancy.

Teeth cleansing, fillings, even exports are allowed throughout the treatment period and after the embryo transfer.

It would be nice to control your smoking during the treatment and after embryo transfer, doing 3-4 cigarettes a day.

It is advisable to reduce the daily consumption of caffeine and have a balanced diet. It is recommended to take multivitamin tablets for pregnancy and a folic acid at least 4 weeks prior to treatment.

The monitoring of the treatment can be done on a distance, even if you live in the province. The steps of treatment will be directed by us. The ultrasound scans and hormone level tests may be done in your city/town. Once we were informed about the results, we give you instructions on how to continue the treatment and when to get ready for the collection. You are invited to be here only for the process of egg collection and embryo transfer