Knowledge is power. Finding out the reason for infertility can oftentimes allow for a simple solution. No matter what we find out through the fertility tests, our team will do their best to assist you in your dream of becoming a parent. 

 No, we do not. We only provide IUI, IVF, ICSI and Reciprocal IVF. 

No, having a laparoscopy is not mandatory before attending our clinic. 

Yes, we do, and we encourage patients to send in results when they have had testing elsewhere to save the cost of repeating tests. 

Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a fertility treatment aimed at increasing the likelihood of sperm successfully fertilizing an egg. This medical intervention has the potential to improve the chances of pregnancy for select couples and individuals.

If an IUI does not result in a successful pregnancy after 3 attempts, our doctor will usually suggest moving to an IVF cycle. In certain cases, this may be sooner. 

Yes, for many patients IUI can help them to become pregnant. It does however have lower rates of success than IVF/ICSI and so many choose to go directly to IVF. For those wishing to undergo a less invasive treatment, IUI is often a good starting point. 

You must be 18 or older in order to do an IUI. 

The main fertility tests for women are the AMH test, Ultrasound, Hysteroscopy, HyCoSy and various blood testing. 

No, this isn’t a service we provide. If we believe you would benefit from this service, our team will refer you on.

The longest time a human embryo has been stored is around 30 years, but once embryos have been frozen, they can be stored indefinitely. Having your embryos frozen gives you many opportunities to grow your family in the future.

Any patient, no matter the amount of time between embryo freezing and thawing, can expect nearly the same potential for success as they experienced with the fresh IVF cycle that the frozen embryos came from. In some cases, an FET cycle can result in a higher success rate than those of a fresh cycle because of the opportunity to optimize the lining of the uterus before implantation. 

The embryos that are created by the process are owned jointly by you as a couple. They can be used by either person for Frozen Embryo Transfer in the future. 

Reciprocal IVF is the only treatment whereby a same sex couple can very physically share the process of becoming pregnant. One parent will be the birth parent and the other the genetic parent, giving you both a unique connection to your child. 

You may wonder why we choose to do frozen embryo transfers for Reciprocal IVF cycles. The answer is simple. Sometimes it is difficult for us to synchronize the menstrual cycles of both partners, and this puts additional stress on the procedure. If we transfer fresh embryos when the uterine lining is not optimal, we risk losing those embryos. By freezing the embryos before use, we give ourselves the time to reach optimal uterine conditions for the embryo transfer. Additionally, it is best to confirm that there are viable embryos before putting a person on the medications for the Frozen Embryo Transfer cycle. 

Implications counselling is mandatory under Irish law for anyone undergoing treatment using donor gametes. For this reason, we have built the cost of your counselling into our complete package cost. We will refer you to an experienced therapist, who will bill us directly for your session. The reason for implications counselling is to help you to reflect on and understand the proposed form of treatment for you and your partner and any children born as a result of of your treatment. 

Women who, for whatever reason, want to defer starting their families until a time when age may become more of a factor in determining success can consider egg freezing. We know that women in Ireland are starting their families at a later age, about 32. This unfortunately means that a higher proportion of women and couples will need assistance. At Thérapie fertility we really want all women to be fertility aware. This means getting checked and learning what YOUR fertility potential is, earlier rather than later. This will allow you to make an informed choice about whether egg freezing may be a suitable avenue for you to take. 

Every month a woman recruits a number of follicles and eggs but only one or two grow to maturity and are released. The rest are lost. The purpose of the stimulation medications is to capture eggs that were going to be lost that month anyway. So we can reassure you that by stimulating your ovaries and freezing your eggs we are not compromising your future fertility. 

One of the key factors influencing a woman’s reproductive ability is age. As women age the number and quality of their eggs falls (the same is also true of men and their sperm!). By freezing eggs at a younger age, ideally under 34 years old, you preserve those eggs and prevent their natural decline as you get older. You may never end up needing or using your frozen eggs. In fact, when it comes time for you to have children we would recommend using more natural methods first. But many find that having eggs frozen removes some of the pressure that surrounds important life choices and in turn helps to make them more fertility aware. And it gives a potential alternative route to your family in the event that you find yourself struggling to conceive. In short, knowing that you have your eggs frozen may actually assist you in conceiving naturally. 

Humm allows you to spread out the cost of your treatment at Thérapie Fertility. Applications can all be done online by clicking here. If you are approved for finance with humm, you can use this approval for any treatment at Thérapie Fertility.

If you are a resident of the North of Ireland or the UK, you can apply for humm finance to the total value of £3,000 to be repaid across a period of 12 months. 

Azoospermia is a condition in which there’s no measurable sperm in a man’s semen. Sometimes the cause of azoospermia is down to genetics. However it can also occur as a result of sexually transmitted infections, blockages along the reproductive tract, hormonal problems, ejaculation problems or issues with testicular structure or function. Sometimes, the causes are treatable and fertility can be restored. 

There is no evidence to show that collecting sperm surgically poses a risk to the health and wellbeing of any children conceived with it. Research has shown that sperm extracted surgically may not fertilise as well, although this could be due to the fact that some sperm is of lower quality. 

We charge €350 for the DNA Fragmentation Test, and this also include the cost of a standard semen analysis which is usually €120. 

All of your information including scan reports, blood test results and cycle information can be found on your portal. The portal is our main form of communication with our patients, and you can contact the medical or administrative team anytime by sending a message on the portal. 

Our portal is protected by 2 factor authentication. You should be able to reset your password if you forget it, but if you are having trouble, please contact our team on 01-2238933.

We have two private sample rooms where you can take your time in complete privacy to produce your sample. You are welcome to bring your own phone/laptop with you and we also provide a TV with various adult materials. 

While a sperm analysis is still the most commonly used test when it comes to male infertility, research has shown that the results of sperm analysis do not always comprehensively indicate a man’s fertility potential. As a result, other ways to determine whether or not the sperm is optimal are needed. Successful embryo development requires, among other things, undamaged DNA from both the egg and sperm and it’s therefore important to know if there is damaged DNA within the sperm before continuing with any fertility treatment. 

If the investigation shows that your sperm has fragmentation and damage within its DNA, our team will discuss all your options with you. This damage may be correctable through lifestyle and dietary changes and the use of supplements. Additionally, there are fertility treatments that have been shown to be of benefit for men with high DNA fragmentation. 

We perform the Comet test via Examen Lab in Belfast, and results can take up to 3 weeks. 

Knowledge is power. Finding out the reason for infertility can oftentimes allow for a simple solution. No matter what we find out through the fertility tests, our team will do their best to assist you in your dream of becoming a parent. 

Yes, we do, and we encourage patients to send in results when they have had testing elsewhere to save the cost of repeating tests. 

The most common way to collect a sperm sample is for a person to masturbate and ejaculate into a sterile cup. The doctor provides a private room for you to do this. In some cases, a person can collect the semen sample at home. A doctor may recommend that the person ejaculates into a collection cup while at home. When collecting a sample at home, you must remember to keep it at room temperature and bring it to the clinic shortly after collection. 

To make sure that the sample is usable, we usually recommend that you abstain from sex or masturbation for several days before the test, avoid alcohol, caffeine, and other stimulants before the sperm analysis and avoid providing a sample when unwell or stressed. We would ask that you inform our team of any medications or herbal remedies you are taking, before giving a sample. 

The level of pain experienced during the HyCoSy varies from person to person. During the procedure, you may experience some discomfort and have a cramping sensation like period pain. We advise our patients to take two paracetamol about 30 minutes before your HyCoSy procedure. No anaesthetic is required for this procedure, and it takes about 15 minutes to complete. 

Nothing! They are the same test. 

We have two main fertility tests for men, the standard semen analysis and the DNA Fragmentation test. In addition to this we can carry out various blood testing. 

Yes. Without thorough testing and assessment, we have no way of determining the correct treatment path for you. Once we have a clear picture of your medical and fertility health, we will be able to assist you with a treatment plan that will give you the best chance at a successful outcome. 

It is a simple blood test which can be done in two ways through a finger prick test or through a conventional blood draw. 

Don’t panic. Low AMH is not in itself a cause of infertility, but it is an indication of a decreased egg reserve. Our team will recommend further investigations and may recommend proactivity with respect to your fertility options and treatment. 

An AMH test is €100 by itself, or you can choose to avail of our Female Fertility profile which includes AMH, FBC, Chlamydia, Gonorrhoea, Rubella and is €200. 

We get all the information that we would get from a normal transvaginal ultrasound. Additionally, we learn more about the internal shape of the womb and whether or not the fallopian tubes are open. 

The level of pain experienced during the hysteroscopy varies from person to person. During the procedure, you may experience some discomfort and have a cramping sensation like period pain. We advise our patients to take two paracetamol about 30 minutes before the procedure. Sedation is usually not required for this procedure, and it takes about 20 minutes to complete. 

Traditionally fertility patients have been referred to general hospitals to have hysteroscopies done. This has added time and inconvenience to the patient’s fertility journey. By adding this service, we hope to minimise the disruption that fertility investigations and treatments cause to patients. 

The simple answer is this. It depends. A number of factors such as age and medical and fertility history will influence this number. We would encourage you not to look at your AMH result in isolation, but in the overall context of your other results.

No. It is not painful but can be mildly uncomfortable. The transvaginal probe is inserted into the vagina in order to carry out the procedure. 

The scan shouldn’t take more than 10 to 15 minutes. 

The ultrasound is usually one of the first tests carried out and will verify that the uterus and both ovaries are present. Ultrasounds can commonly show abnormal findings such as ovarian cysts which could be an indication of conditions such an endometriosis. 

Yes, you can bring a partner or friend with you to your appointment, or you can request a chaperone, one of our staff to be present with you during the scan. 

Yes, all of our scans at the clinic are done transvaginally in order to provide us with the best view of your uterine cavity. 

IVF is not something which can ever be ‘a sure thing.’ A core part of the consultation process in advance of your treatment is for our team to inform you of what we think your chance of success is based on your history and test results. This will help you make the most informed decision about the process and whether it is right for you. Most women and couples who undergo IVF will succeed but it can sometimes take multiple attempts. However, through our evidence based fertility treatment, we are confident that our team of experts can help to give you the best shot at a successful outcome. You can view our success rates here.

Not at present. We encourage patients to use their embryos by doing frozen embryo transfers before starting a new cycle with us. 

No, you can purchase donor sperm separately from our partner sperm bank European Sperm Bank.

No, this is not an add on which we provide. 

No, we do not have a restriction on BMI.  

We do not have an age restriction on any treatment in Thérapie Fertility, though upcoming Irish legislation may require this to change. 

Yes, it is of course possible to transfer multiple embryos. However, in most cases we usually recommend transferring just one or two. The reason for this is to try to avoid a multiple pregnancy. While twin or triplet pregnancies can be very healthy, they do come with increased risks. In order to reduce this risk, we like to try for a healthy singleton pregnancy. If your medical and fertility history indicates, we may advise to transfer more than one embryo. 

IVF is the most effective form of assisted reproductive technology and for the majority of cases, IVF or other fertility treatments can help you realise your dream of becoming pregnant. 

When you become a patient of Thérapie Fertility you will be provided with a link and password to access the online portal. 

Don’t worry if you forget your password. You can simply click on ‘forgot password’ and a reset link will be emailed to you. 

Our team monitor the portal from 7am to 4pm Monday to Saturday and within these hours you will typically receive a response within minutes or hours. Outside of these hours, you can speak to our friendly live chat team on our website who can answer any questions you might have. 

Absolutely. If you would be more comfortable with a phone call, we can arrnage this. The majority of our communication is via the portal, which is to reduce the amount of ‘phone tag’ that typically occurs when communication is via a phone call. It also helps so that you can have a written record of any important information which you may forget after a phone call. 

Yes, each individual is treated as a patient and therefore your partner needs to have their own portal too. 

No. Donor Sperm is purchased directly from our partner sperm bank, European Sperm Bank. It is then shipped directly to our clinic.

As a new clinic we do not currently accept health insurance, but we do hope to in the future.

Yes, you may choose to move eggs, sperm or embryos from our clinic to another facility, though there will be fees for this.

No, at present we do not accept embryos from other clinics. We advise that you use your embryos where they are, as this is much more cost effective for you.

Yes, embryoscope is included with all cycles at no additional charge.

Yes, all scans and blood tests within a cycle are included.

No, testing is charged separately to treatment.

It is currently unclear how long it will take to obtain an appointment at a Regional Fertility Hub, once referred by your GP.

As with all Publicly Provided Healthcare, it will likely depend on the demand for the service.

There are currently six Regional Fertility Hubs.

• Three are located in Dublin (The National Maternity Hospital on Holles Street, The Coombe Women & Infants University Hospital and The Rotunda)
• One is located in Cork (Cork University Maternity Hospital)
• One is located in Galway (University Hospital Galway)
• One is located in Nenagh, Tipperary (Nenagh Hospital)

1. Check you meet the criteria outlined above.
2. Make an appointment with your GP who can perform initial tests and offer advice.
3. Your GP may then refer you to a HSE Regional Fertility Hub. There are currently six hubs in Ireland. You cannot refer yourself to a Regional Fertility Hub.
4. The Regional Fertility Hub will assess you at your appointment and can perform a wider range of diagnostic tests, interventions and treatments if deemed necessary. It is currently unclear how long it will take to obtain an appointment time, but as with all Publicly Provided Healthcare, it will likely depend on the demand for the service.
5. If your Consultant at the Regional Fertility Hub deems that advanced treatment such as IVF, ICSI or IUI is clinically indicated, eligible patients will then be referred to a HSE-Approved Private Fertility Clinic of their choice. (Thérapie Fertility is a HSE-Approved Fertility Clinic).
6. The Private Fertility Clinic will then take over the care of the patient.

Treatments that are not covered by this scheme partially include:

• Genetic Testing of Embryos
• Treatments involving Donor Eggs
• Treatments involving Donor Sperm.
• Egg Freezing

The HSE states that “assisted conception will become available in the future to people who need to use donor eggs and sperm when required regulation is in place”.

• One full cycle of IVF
• 1 round of ICSI
• 3 rounds of IUI

To be considered for this free scheme, the HSE have outlined the following eligibility criteria:

• Women must be aged 40 or under. Men must be aged 59 or under
• Women need to have a BMI of between 18.5 and 30
• Be a resident of the Republic of Ireland
• Be in a relationship with your partner for at least 1 year
• Have never had a voluntary sterilisation procedure to prevent pregnancy. This includes blocking or sealing your fallopian tubes or having a vasectomy
• Have no living children with your current partner. This includes any children to whom you are a legal guardian
• You cannot access this free treatment if you have had more than 1 round of IVF previously, or have unused embryos in storage
• At least one partner must not have a living child
• Lifestyle: All intending parents should:
• Be non-smoking for at least three months
• Be non-users of recreational drugs for at least three months
• Have no more than one or two standard alcoholic drinks once or twice per week for the female.
• Have no more than three to four standard drinks per-day for the male. Ideally, ten or fewer standard drinks should be consumed over a week for the male

• It is a Government- Funded Scheme with an allotment of 10 Million Euro to provide Free Fertility Services through the HSE to couples struggling to conceive. The scheme is scheduled to commence towards the end of September, 2023.
• Couples must meet the qualifying criteria outlined below to be eligible for a referral for this HSE scheme.
• Patients must first attend their own GP. Their GP can provide advice on fertility issues and perform some initial tests. Their GP can then refer them to one of the six HSE Regional Fertility Hubs for additional tests and interventions. Subject to eligibility, The Regional Fertility Hub may subsequently elect to refer the patient to a HSE-approved Private Fertility Clinic of their choice for further, advanced treatment if necessary. Thérapie Fertility is a HSE -Approved Fertility Clinic.
• There are currently six HSE Fertility Hubs in Ireland located in Dublin, Galway, Cork and Tipperary.
• The scheme is scheduled to commence in September 2023.

We’ve been getting lots of questions about the roll out of the publicly funded IVF scheme and so we’ve put together some FAQs below. If you have any additional questions, our team are always here to help.

There is up to 3 hours free parking at our Carrickmines clinic.

We cannot allow minors into any of the clinical areas, such as scan rooms or the recovery room and so we advise you to arrange childcare for the duration of your appointments at Thérapie Fertility. If this is not possible, you can bring another adult with you and they can wait with your child in one of our private waiting areas.

Yes, we encourage partners to attend your consultation.

Yes, in Limerick and Dundalk.

No, Thérapie Fertility do not provide donor egg services. At present, we only provide donor sperm services via European Sperm Bank.

We contact European Sperm Bank to advise of positive pregnancies every month, so there is no need.

Yes we do providing that it is from European Sperm Bank and that the sperm donor is registered for Ireland.

When undergoing IUI 3 straws of donor sperm are recommend and if undergoing IVF, only 1 straw of donor sperm is needed.

No, this is not a requirement. When you order your donor sperm via European Sperm Bank they will match you with donors who meet your requirements.

Yes. Since the introduction of the CFRA (Children and Families Relationships Act 2020) both parents can be named on a birth certificate of a donor conceived child.

No, this is not something we facilitate at Thérapie Fertility, as we do not do egg donation.

No. We don’t offer any Egg donor options at Thérapie Fertility.