Treatment of infertility

At our gynecological outpatient clinics, we conduct infertility examinations, for which you need a physician's referral from primary health care or a private physician, usually after about a year of trying to get pregnant. If you have an illness or other situation that makes it difficult to get pregnant, examinations associated with the treatment of infertility can be initiated earlier.

Kuvituskuva: lapsettomuuslääkäri lapsettoman pariskunnan kanssa vastaanotolla

We carry out basic infertility examinations at the Reproductive Medicine Unit in Helsinki and at Hyvinkää, Lohja, Porvoo, and Raseborg Hospitals. We have centralized insemination, in vitro fertilization, treatments with donated gametes, and more demanding infertility treatments at the Reproductive Medicine Unit in Helsinki.

The maximum age when starting infertility treatments is 40 years for women and 60 years for men. In order for us to be able to provide the treatments, the referral must be received by us at least six months before the maximum ages are reached. The maximum body mass index (BMI) for infertility treatments for women is 35. Unfortunately, as a public service provider, we usually cannot treat post-sterilization infertility or couples who already have two children together.

Before the first actual appointment, we perform hormone examinations and take a basic blood count for the woman wishing to become pregnant. In the case of a heterosexual couple, we also examine a sample of the man’s semen. We test both spouses for HIV and hepatitis. We always invite the couple to attend the first appointment together. We examine their health and survey their lifestyle habits, evaluate the woman’s menstrual cycle and perform any further examinations required. We examine the fallopian tubes for blockages if necessary.

After these examinations, we devise a customized treatment plan. Please be aware that for as many as one in four couples the cause of infertility cannot be established.

Treatments can include:

ovulation induction treatments designed to induce or strengthen ovulation
inseminations, in which washed sperm is injected into a woman's uterine cavity at the time of ovulation
in vitro fertilization (IVF/ICSI), where the ovum is fertilized in a laboratory and the embryo is transferred to the uterus to grow
frozen embryo transplant, where an embryo generated by IVF/ICSI and then frozen is thawed and transferred to the uterus
insemination or IVF/ICSI treatments with donated gametes
surgical treatment for instance in situations where infertility is caused by endometriosis or myoma

If you have not already been trying for pregnancy for a long time, and if it seems probable that you will be able to get pregnant without any treatments, you may simply continue to wait for nature to take its course after the examinations.

The sperm laboratory of the Reproductive Medicine Unit at Tilkan Viuhka is available by appointment only. Please book an appointment at the sperm laboratory for sperm sample analysis. You can choose to collect the sample at our unit in a dedicated sampling room or, alternatively, at home.

If you want to take the sample at home, you can pick up the sample container either from the sperm laboratory during office hours or from the info desk at Women's Hospital which is open around the clock.

Please deliver the sample container tightly closed and labelled with your name to the sperm laboratory at your scheduled time within one (1) hour of taking the sample. The sample container should be kept upright during transport and protected from temperature fluctuations. To obtain a good, high-quality sample of semen, please ensure that at least 1–2 days have elapsed since your previous ejaculation. After you have carefully washed your hands and penis with water, you can deposit the sample directly into the specimen container by masturbating. Please deposit all of the ejaculated semen in the container, as a varying number of sperm is released at different stages of ejaculation. If providing the semen sample is not possible by masturbating, you can take the sample during intercourse by using a special collection condom available at the sperm laboratory. Do not use lubricants or a regular condom because they contain chemicals harmful to sperm.