Dr Elle Talving, gynaecologist and reproductive medicine specialist at the Nova Vita clinic

Pregnancy is a wonderful time and the birth of each child is a kind of a miracle. Those couples who have waited for a tiny miracle to arrive in their lives for a long time are especially aware of this. Conceiving naturally is difficult for almost every sixth couple. Most of them could benefit from modern infertility treatment methods.

Don’t be alone with your worries!

As an infertility doctor, every day I meet women and men who have not managed to become parents, even though they really want to. Worrying about the difficulties related to conceiving is more common in our society than generally thought: almost every sixth couple faces a problem at a point when the desired pregnancy doesn’t happen. It is totally natural that not everyone can get pregnant so easily and this is not something to be ashamed of – it is crucial to seek help at the right time.

In Estonia, infertility treatment is very well accessible to everyone who needs it. The treatment we have around here is good and the state compensates the majority of treatment expenses through the health insurance fund. Fortunately, my experience has shown that more and more couples who are unable to conceive are not left alone with their problem; instead, they go to an infertility doctor for advice and tests. Generally, a suitable treatment for their problem can be found with the help and advice of experienced experts.

Each patient’s story is slightly different

Many couples who have been unable to conceive naturally have found their way to our clinic. All of them have a different story and the causes of infertility also differ. Both men’s and women’s health issues could play a role. For women, the most common causes of infertility are ovulation disorders, damage to ovaries, endometriosis, problems with the uterus, and early menopause. Men’s infertility could also be caused by many different things, such as genital inflammation or several genetic causes. For both men and women, age and lifestyle also play a crucial role.

The cause of infertility is not always exposed with tests because not all issues can be diagnosed. In vitro fertilisation is definitely an option to solve the problem.

As the reasons for a pregnancy failing despite long-term trying are different, the process for finding solutions is also very individual. The doctor shall create a treatment plan for each couple based on their peculiarities and needs, dedicating sufficient time and attention to everyone.

Goal: healthy and cheerful baby

The results of infertility treatment are very individual and mainly depend on the reasons for why a particular couple is infertile. Some couples reach a positive pregnancy test quicker, some need to go through a longer journey and undergo repeated treatment cycles. Our goal is to support our patients on this journey and help them reach their desired dream to give birth to a healthy and strong baby.

Progress in science has added very many options to achieve this goal. Compared to 25 years ago, when the Nova Vita clinic started and infertility treatment had just begun in Estonia, medicine has developed at a quick pace. Now, for example, it is possible to conduct embryo diagnostics that we could not have even dreamt of back then. All these additional options increase the hope of childless couples to see a positive pregnancy test result one day and finally arrive home from the hospital with the baby they have been waiting for.

Although technology is constantly improved and enhanced, this does not, unfortunately, mean that having children can be endlessly postponed. With increasing age, having a child is more difficult and infertility treatment might not be as effective either. The sooner you tackle the problem, the more likely that the treatment is successful. Therefore, I encourage everyone who has issues with having children to go to a doctor sooner rather than later. Looking at my own patients, I can say that getting started and being persistent is completely worth it if the treatment is successful – the indescribable happiness and great joy of childbirth is so powerful that the journey is worth it.