IVF (In vitro fertilisation)
Realise your dream of becoming a parent with us.
Livio is the Nordic leader within IVF and assisted reproduction, offering personalised treatments based on the latest research and most recent technology. You'll have access to our fantastic team of IVF specialists who will guide you through the treatment in safe hands.
What is IVF (In vitro fertilization)
In vitro fertilization - IVF - is a medical method to help couples become pregnant when natural conception is unsuccessful. IVF has revolutionized the treatment of involuntary childlessness and has given rise to over 10 million children worldwide. IVF is a safe, effective, and advanced method - at Livio, we perform more than 8000 treatments annually. Livio offers the absolute best care in IVF and assisted reproduction in the Nordic countries. We always consider the patient's unique medical and personal circumstances to provide an individualized treatment, giving you the absolute best conditions for starting a family.
Who is it for?
- Couples who cannot get pregnant on their own
- Single women or same-sex couples who wish to become parents
- Women with ovulation problems or damaged fallopian tubes
- Men with reduced sperm quality or low sperm count
- Couples with unexplained infertility
- People with genetic diseases who want to avoid passing them on
- Couples where the woman has endometriosis, PCOS, or other gynecological conditions
What are the benefits of IVF?
IVF offers several advantages for couples struggling with infertility:
IVF can be successful when other methods have failed.
The method can be used for various types of infertility, including ovulation problems, reduced sperm quality, and unexplained infertility.
IVF enables family formation for different types of couples and single individuals.
Doctors can carefully monitor and optimize the fertilization process and embryo development.
IVF can help with certain medical conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS in women or low sperm count in men.
IVF can be successful when other methods have failed.
The method can be used for various types of infertility, including ovulation problems, reduced sperm quality, and unexplained infertility.
IVF enables family formation for different types of couples and single individuals.
Doctors can carefully monitor and optimize the fertilization process and embryo development.
IVF can help with certain medical conditions such as endometriosis and PCOS in women or low sperm count in men.
Your IVF Journey: step-by-step
Fertility Assessment
If a couple has been trying to conceive for one year (or 6 months if the woman is older than 35), it's appropriate to seek help. The first step is to undergo a fertility assessment. This assessment analyzes the woman's ovarian capacity through a vaginal ultrasound and AMH blood test, as well as the man's sperm count and quality. The most suitable treatment option is discussed with each couple, considering factors such as the duration of infertility, underlying causes, and the woman's age.
First Consultation
During the initial doctor's visit, a comprehensive review of your fertility assessment is conducted, including factors such as the woman's age, cause of infertility, previous treatments, lifestyle factors, and medical history. A gynecological examination with an ultrasound of the uterus and ovaries is also performed, and additional tests may be recommended if needed. Your future treatment plan is also discussed at this stage.
Hormone Stimulation
Treatment begins with hormone stimulation, planned and initiated with one of our midwives or nurses. The woman is stimulated with endogenous hormones (FSH) to encourage multiple follicles to grow. Daily injections start a few days into the menstrual cycle, which are easy to self-administer. After about 5-6 days of injections, an additional medication is given to prevent premature ovulation. The stimulation is closely monitored with ultrasounds, and when the follicles reach sufficient size, an injection is given to mature the eggs for fertilization. This process takes about two weeks.
Egg Retrieval and Fertilization
Eggs are retrieved from the woman's ovaries using vaginal ultrasound guidance, and the man provides a sperm sample that is prepared to select the best sperm. If the man has a good sperm count with good motility, standard IVF is performed where sperm and eggs are placed together in a dish for natural fertilization. In cases of reduced sperm quality, microinjection (ICSI) is performed.
Embryo Transfer
After 2-5 days, a fertilized egg (embryo) is transferred to the woman's uterus via a thin catheter inserted through the cervix. Surplus embryos of good quality can be cryopreserved for future use.
Our prices
An IVF treatment is an individual process. Therefore, it is also difficult to estimate the total cost of treatment leading to a pregnancy. Within the Livio group, we strive to maintain as consistent pricing as possible, but the varying conditions at different clinics may sometimes result in slight price differences from clinic to clinic. Please feel free to consult us, and we will guide you!
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Your funding options
In collaboration with Human Finans, Livio offers the possibility of advantageous loans and financing for your fertility treatment. For example, it is possible to take an interest-free loan for an IVF treatment and split the payment over 6 or 12 months.
You can contact Human Finans by phone at 08-560 201 15 or visit their website for more information and free advice.
Possible Side Effects of IVF
During the latter part of hormone stimulation, the abdomen may feel tense and tender due to enlarged ovaries. It's also common to feel emotionally affected during these days.
Ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome (OHSS) occurs in 1-2% of IVF cases. Symptoms include abdominal swelling, pain, and difficulty breathing, usually appearing after embryo transfer. Treatment varies with severity, from rest and clinic monitoring to hospital care. There's an increased risk of blood clots, and blood-thinning treatment may be necessary. Pregnancy is not negatively affected.
The risk of OHSS has significantly decreased with shorter hormone stimulation (antagonist protocol). Today, all embryos can be frozen and transferred later in the woman's natural menstrual cycle or with simpler hormone stimulation, reducing risks for the woman while maintaining pregnancy chances.
IVF Treatment Frequently Asked Questions
If the woman has irregular or absent menstruation, has been operated on for a ruptured appendix, has had repeated fallopian tube inflammations, or for other reasons already knows that it may be difficult to achieve pregnancy, an early fertility investigation may be appropriate.
Since the woman's age is also of great importance, the couple should not wait too long to start a fertility investigation if pregnancy does not occur. If the woman is under 35 years old, you can make contact after about a year of trying. If the woman is older, you can make contact after just six months.
For the man, it may also be a good idea to seek help early on when wanting to have children, for example, if you have had testicular surgery or are missing a testicle.
We assess the egg reserve in all women who undergo an investigation with us. For women older than 41, we can sometimes start with an egg reserve investigation to then decide if it is reasonable to offer further treatment.
Repetition is the key to success in all fertility treatment. After three IVF treatments with associated frozen transfers, three out of four women under 39 become pregnant.
An appointment for investigation is booked within one to two weeks. Then both the man and woman come to the clinic one morning for blood tests and sperm samples. Afterwards, a doctor's appointment is booked within a month where the couple receives test results and an ultrasound examination is performed on the woman. The IVF treatment itself can begin immediately depending on the type of treatment the doctor recommends.
Most feel physically well during the treatment. It is common to feel a little more tired than usual during the injection treatment, a little tense and swollen in the stomach, and you may have an increased amount of discharge. Some women may get a little headache, and it's okay to use pain relievers containing paracetamol.
During the IVF treatment, there are usually 1-2 short visits for ultrasound assessment of follicle growth and when it is appropriate to empty the follicles. On the day when the eggs are retrieved, it is appropriate not to work as you spend a couple of hours at the clinic and you may feel a bit tired and sore in the stomach afterwards. On the day of transfer, you can work as usual.
The Livio clinics - your Nordic partner
Livio is the largest provider of fertility treatments in the Nordic countries with clinics in Sweden, Norway and Iceland. Our aim is to provide the highest quality fertility treatments and best results in the area of reproductive medicine.
