Ovulation induction helps your body relesase an egg. It can be a simple effective first step for many people trying to conceive. This usually invloves taking a tablet orally such as Clomiphene, Tamoxifen and Femara. Treatment usually early in your menstrual cycle and continues for a total of five days. Research – and indeed our own experience – suggests that Femara works better for patients with PCOS.

We will monitor your progress with simple ultrasound scans. These check for follicles which are the small fluid-filled structures which develop in the ovaries, each of which hopefully contain an egg. A blood test performed around Day 21 determines the level of the pregnancy hormone, progesterone, giving us additional information about the effectiveness of the treatment.

If the treatment is appropriate, it is usually continued for between 6 and 9 months. Occasionally, an injection of HCG (human chorionic gonadotropin) may be given midcycle to further optimise ovulation.

If tablets have not resulted in pregnancy, or a woman is not responding to treatment or having significant side effects, injections of FSH and/or LH (Gonadatrophins) may be prescribed.

As injections have a greater chance of multiple pregnancy than tablets, more scans may be necessary, and as with oral treatments, HCG is given midcycle to prime ovulation.

For patients who are unable to carry a pregnancy, surrogacy may be an option. Surrogacy usually involves IVF, using either his partner’s eggs or donor eggs, depending on individual circumstances. For same-sex male couples, donor eggs are typically used.

Surrogacy involves important medical, legal and financial considerations, so it is essential to receive care through experienced clinics with appropriate regulatory frameworks in place.

At The Scotia Clinic, we can provide advice and guide you towards trusted specialist fertility centres with whom we have established links, ensuring you receive expert care throughout your surrogacy journey. Our aim is to support you in making informed decisions as you work towards building your family.

Egg donation may be the only option available to women who cannot produce their own eggs. This can include women with conditions such as Turner Syndrome, early menopause, or those who have had cancer treatment.

It may also be considered if IVF has not been successful due to egg quality.

Some patients use a known donor, but many access donor programmes abroad, or clinics providng frozen donor eggs.

We have established partnerships with both Irish and international clinics providing this service.

Embryo donation may be an option if IVF has not resulted in any embryos.

While it is not available in Ireland, it is offered through trusted partner clinics abroad.

We aim to provide as much of your care as possible here in Kerry, with support throughout.

Pre Implantation Genetic Diagnosis is a treatment where embryos are tested for genetic conditions before being placed into the womb. We can advise patients on clincis wher this is available. It can test for conditions such as cystic fibrosis and haemophilia.

IVF success rates have improved significantly over the past decade; however, not every treatment cycle results in pregnancy. While a negative result can be disappointing, many couples go on to conceive following further treatment, particularly where the woman is under 36 years of age.

IVF is now considered a safe and well-established treatment. Advances in medications, ultrasound monitoring, egg collection techniques and laboratory procedures have made treatment safer and more effective. Laboratory techniques have also improved, reducing the risk of laboratory error. Initiatives led by the HPRA have also brought about a reduction in the number of multiple pregnancies that follow IVF treatment.

As pregnancy rates from frozen embryo transfers have improved, more centres across Europe recommend single embryo transfer to those patients who have the highest chance of an IVF pregnancy. This helps support the safest outcome: a healthy singleton pregnancy.

We aim to keep drug doses as low as possible and to maximize the chances of pregnancy from a single cycle of IVF treatment by using both fresh and frozen embryo treatments whenever possible. 

In some men, infertility is caused by genetic factors, which can sometimes be passed on to children. Other patients may have conditions such as cystic fibrosis or chromosome disorders, both of which can be screened for before treatment begins. Genetic counselling is available to help couples decide on the best approach.

ICSI (Intracytoplasmic Sperm Injection) is a specialised form of IVF in which a single sperm is injected directly into an egg to aid fertilisation. It is recommended when male factor infertility makes conventional IVF less likely to succeed. ICSI involves the same treatment process and risks as standard IVF.

While many people may see multiple pregnancies as a bonus, twin pregnancies are associated with a higher risk of premature birth and also with lifelong medical problems. This is why, where possible, IVF clinics will recommend that one embryo is returned to the uterus in order to reduce the risk of multiple pregnancies.

As newer techniques such as vitrification (the freezing process for embryos) improve, additional embryos can be frozen to be returned to the uterus in a future cycle.

Egg freezing has become an acceptable medical treatment in the last few years as techniques improve, making it more likely that eggs will survive thawing process in the future. While it is often discussed in the context of delaying pregnancy for personal reasons, we also recommend egg freezing in medical situations where fertility may be at risk. This includes before cancer treatment, or surgery that may affect the ovaries, such as for endometriosis.

At The Scotia Clinic, we work closely with IVF Clinics in Dublin, Cork and Europe.

If you travel abroad for treatment, we can carry out much of your care here in Kerry beforehand, including scans, blood tests, and medication.

We send the results to the relevant IVF centre, and the healthcare professionals there will make decisions about the timing of egg retrieval and so on.  

When you return home, we continue your care, including follow-up support such as pregnancy scans and management of any treatment-related side effects like OHSS.

For patients using shared care (satellite IVF), your treatment is coordinated between our clinic and your IVF centre abroad, where egg collection and embryo transfer take place.

Fertility treatment can be an emotional and sometimes difficult journey. At The Scotia Clinic, our Therapist , Tara O’Connor has  a special interest in fertility and will support you throughout the process. She is also available to provdie the mandatory counselling required for egg and sperm donor treatement. She also provides pre surrogacy counselling.

Counselling can help at any stage, whether you are deciding on treatment, going through medication and procedures, or waiting for pregnancy test results.

It can also provide support after a positive test, as well as in the event of miscarriage or ectopic pregnancy, helping you cope during these very difficult times.

We run monthly male fertility clinics, including semen analysis.