IVF Centers Prof. Zech – Salzburg

IVF Centers Prof. Zech – Salzburg

Prof. Dr. Herbert Zech and his wife Annerose Zech: “When we started out more than 30 years ago, there was no possibility of controlling ovulation by drug treatment in such a way that egg retrieval could be performed at a specific point in time. We had to make do with the “natural” onset of ovulation. Therefore, it could happen that we had to perform egg retrieval in the middle of the night, for example, at 5 o’clock in the morning and create the optimum conditions to achieve a pregnancy. Thus, we helped the first couples in Austria (1983 in Tyrol and 1985 in Vorarlberg) to have a baby through IVF, which back then was a sensation. When we first started out, it was just me and my wife Annerose together with only one assistant. Today, the whole family and more than 140 employees in seven locations throughout Europe share our passion and our high demands regarding quality of treatment as well as technology and research.”

Committed to excellence.

This is the guiding principle of the IVF Centers Prof. Zech, by which we mean our determination to assume a leading role in terms of IVF treatment, treatment of fertility disorders and precautionary measures to preserve fertility. Many couples who seek fertility treatment and come to our IVF centers for the first time have long been trying to achieve a successful pregnancy. We have specialized particularly in helping those couples whose situation requires sophisticated treatment concepts. Our experience gained over three decades in reproductive medicine enables us also to fulfill their heartfelt desire with a very high probability of success.

Certified quality 

All IVF Centers Prof. Zech are subject to a central quality management. The QM team is consistently working to guarantee the highest quality standards possible, not only in terms of treatment, but also regarding technology, research and science – since 1997. Back then, the IVF Centers Prof. Zech were the first IVF clinic to be awarded ISO–9001 certification (which confirms the application and further development of an efficient quality management system), which today has been successfully implemented at all locations. 

Our activities are greatly appreciated by many of our peers. We are regarded as a reference center and offer training

programs for physicians and medical professionals from all over the world. Some of our former employees have founded their own IVF centers, thus sharing our philosophy and our know–how.

Success prognoses

Infertile couples are often subjected to increased physical and psychological strain. This makes it all the more important for them to learn about their individual chances of a successful pregnancy, which in turn requires the most accurate and sound forecasts by the treating team. 

Standards

The desire for reliable success prognoses is key to our on-going research. The result: an innovative standard, the so–called EGP – Expected Gametes Performance (developmental potential that may be expected in female and male gametes). As to the treatment procedure, by using the EGP standard we focus on the developing blastocysts and, by doing so, we do not only want lab parameters, ultrasound scans and the number of retrieved oocytes to be taken into account, but also the stimulation protocol, the IMSI results, the embryo culture technique, the freezing technique etc. These parameters are combined in the EGP in order to enable us to make a more accurate prognostic assessment of the couple’s chances.

Transparency

●Consistent measures for quality assurance, tested and accessible (e.g. ISO certification)

●Publication of differentiated success rates: clinical pregnancy rate, presence of fetal cardiac activity, rate of live births

●Use of cutting–edge technologies and treatment methods whose efficiency have been scientifically proven

●International cooperation in research projects

●Publications in globally leading specialist magazines

All “under one roof”

●1 contact person

●first–hand information

●no long distances to travel (no necessity for further referral to other doctors/specialists)

●all treatment–related data at a glance

●cost transparency

●no hidden extra costs

●short waiting time

30000 Births

Since the founding of the IVF Centers Prof. Zech, more than 30.000 children have been born following IVF treatment

at our centers.

30 000 births ... this does also mean 30 000 happy parents.

For the optimum treatment of infertility issues, a broad range of therapy options and state–of–the–art techniques are crucial.

We offer: 

●Blastocyst culture*

●Embryo selection

●ISMET (Implantation Support Medium Embryo–Transfer)

●Egg donation*

●Sperm donation

●Assisted Hatching (AH)

●Individual approach in the case of endometriosis, coagulation disorders, obesity

●Diagnostic and therapeutic Hysteroscopy

●Fertility preservation* “Ovita” 

●Customized stimulation protocols 

●Accumulation cycle

●IMSI (Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection)

●Aseptic vitrification

●3D ultrasound Sono–AVC

●Testicular biopsy Preimplantation (TESE)

●Genetic Diagnosis (Analysis of chromosomal disorders and diagnosis of genetic diseases)

“Our aim is to help couples realize their dream of having a healthy child – and this if possible, as early as the first treatment cycle.”

Since their founding by Prof. Dr. Herbert Zech in 1984 in Bregenz, the IVF centers of the same name are characterized by their dedication to the highest standards in terms of tried–and–tested quality, innovative technologies and passionate commitment. 

With their extensive expertise resulting from three decades of successful fertility treatment, the IVF Centers Prof. Zech are today among the world’s leading specialists in the field of reproductive medicine.

10 questions you should ask your fertility center:

(1) How experienced are the doctors, biologists and assistants on the team?

The use of assisted reproductive technology (ART) requires a high level of skill, accuracy and, most of all, a lot of experience.

(2) How many persons are part of the team?

Larger teams can be a contributing factor in terms of increased scope for patient care, thus enhancing the patient’s chances of conceiving and giving birth to a child by pooling the competences of all employees.

(3) Are the employees given specific training?

This may be done, for instance, by clearly structured internal and external training programs accompanied by measures designed to promote cooperation and social competence.

(4) Is the staff available to you seven days a week?

In order to meet your particular needs resulting from a customized stimulation plan (ovarian stimulation), it should also be possible to perform egg retrieval (follicular puncture) as well as embryo transfer at weekends and on public holidays.

(5) Has the center implemented a professional quality management system?

●in–house QM–team

●consistent implementation

●valid certifications (e.g. ISO)

●documentation software

(6) Does the center use the following “formula” as a basis for their treatment?

optimum oocytes + optimum sperm = optimum embryos

During the entire treatment procedure, all necessary steps are taken to ensure the best possible prospects for a successful pregnancy. 

(7) Does the center use state–of–the–art freezing techniques in IVF treatment?

This means providing the necessary requirements for the safe freezing and efficient preservation of embryos at all development stages as well as of unfertilized ova and sperm, using for instance the aseptic vitrification technique.

(8) Does the center perform “Elective Single Embryo Transfers”?

In order to prevent the risks involved with multiple pregnancies, the team’s focus should always be on maternal and child health.

(9) Is the “PRESENCE OF FETAL HEART BEAT” or already a “POSITIVE PREGNANCY TEST” the indicator for a successful treatment?

The goal should be to achieve a pregnancy and the birth of a healthy child – and this if possible, as early as the first treatment cycle.

(10) How committed is the center when it comes to scientific research and further developments?

The interplay between science and practical implementation, as well as the associated experience and the use of cutting–edge technologies and treatment methods may enhance the chances for a successful outcome in infertile couples.

10 criteria that are the hallmark of leading fertility centers:

(1) Patient well–being

Being a family–run business, we at the IVF Centers Prof. Zech are committed to enabling the development of new life. It is therefore of particular importance to us that we are able to offer our patients individual support in a relaxed environment.

(2) Health of all parties concerned

In addition to complying with the legal provisions as well as observing ethical and medical principles, we always focus on the patient well–being and the safety and health of all persons involved.

(3) Perfectly trained team

We want to optimally support you on your way towards your long–awaited child by pooling knowledge and competence of more than 140 highly qualified employees.

(4) Longstanding experience

Many years of experience in blastocyst culture and blastocyst selection, IMSI, cryopreservation techniques, vitrification, egg donation, social egg freezing, genetics, preimplantation genetic diagnosis etc. are characteristic of our team.

(5) Latest generation technology

In order to help you realize your heartfelt desire for parenthood, we focus on innovative technologies and state–of–the–art devices for use in fertility treatment:

●IMSI: “Intracytoplasmic Morphologically Selected Sperm Injection” using a high–resolution microscope at 6000–12.000x magnification

●Aseptic vitrification: closed, germ–free system to safely freeze and store sperm cells, oocytes and embryos (high success rate in cryo–cycles and fertility preservation/ “social freezing”)

●Preimplantation genetic diagnosis for aneuploidy screening and the diagnosis of monogenetic diseases

●3D ultrasound/Sono–AVC: precise monitoring of follicle growth in order to determine the optimum time for oocyte pick–up

●Diagnostic and therapeutic hysteroscopy: Imaging the uterus via endoscopy (which enables to identify and treat, for instance, myoma, polyps, endometrial cancer)

●Software solution especially designed to meet the requirements of fertility clinics (e.g. “DynaMed”)

●and many more…

(6) Advice and treatment “under one roof”

We attach much importance to perfectly mastering all state–of–the–art efficient medical therapies and being able to offer them to you “under one roof”. The advantages for you: avoidance of unnecessary delays owing to the need of referrals, no additional costs, no long waiting times.

(7) Patient information

From the first minute you spend with us, we will do our very best to ensure your well–being. The first consultation with the doctor treating you will focus on “results–oriented advice”. This includes comprehensive information and references to potential risks and complications, legal provisions and many more. Examinations (e.g. ultrasound scans, hormonal analyses, taking of blood samples), therapy costs as well as the duration of treatment will also be carefully explained to you.

(8) Tried–and–tested quality

All our centers are subject to a central quality management. The IVF Centers Prof. Zech were the first fertility clinics worldwide to be awarded ISO 9001 certification. This certification officially confirms the application and advancement of an effective quality management system.

(9) Transparency

In order to ensure that the individual areas in reproductive medicine are clearly comprehensible and easy to follow for all parties involved or anyone else interested in the subject, we aim at working with maximum transparency. This also involves creating a scientifically sound basis in order to draw up an objective map of the situation with respect to medical results, prognoses and outcome (e.g. pregnancy rates). Infertile couples who want to get thoroughly informed prior to undergoing fertility treatment should be provided with success rate statistics where a careful distinction is made between positive pregnancy test, clinical pregnancy, fetal cardiac activity and live births (BTHR).

(10) Science and research achievements recognized around the world

Whether presented at international congresses or published in leading specialist magazines, our scientific achievements enjoy a worldwide reputation.

In a nutshell: Safely accompanied along the way towards parenthood.

Individually tailored therapies

Blastocyst culture and blastocyst selection

The core element of the treatment at the IVF Centers Prof. Zech is the blastocyst selection. The procedure involves selecting the best embryos for transfer, i.e. those showing the highest development and implantation potential. 

On average, we are able to obtain about 10 oocytes by follicular puncture in an IVF treatment. If fertilized oocytes continue to develop into blastocysts (embryo having a complex structure comprising about 200 cells), the chances of getting pregnant are very good. Therefore, culturing all fertilized oocytes up to the blastocyst stage represents a sensible procedure that can today be considered as being state–of–the–art.

After the transfer of 1 to a maximum of 2 embryos at the blastocyst stage, the goal is to freeze the remaining embryos (vitrification) and use them at a later time to achieve a pregnancy.

Due to different legislative framework conditions, the treatment options in reproductive medicine may vary from one country to another – this also applies to blastocyst selection.

IMSI

Successfully established techniques, such as the IMSI procedure, enhance the likelihood of the ovum being fertilized by a sperm (IMSI involves a detailed analysis of the spermatozoa).

Cutting–edge ultrasound technology

In many cases, the reasons for involuntary childlessness can be identified by ultrasound examination and subsequently be treated on an individual basis (e.g. identification of polyps and malformations of the uterus). Furthermore, a modern 3D ultrasonic device provides the possibility of precise follicle monitoring, i.e. an accurate analysis of the number of follicles that have formed during ovarian stimulation.

3D ultrasound technology enables the precise prediction of volume and size of the growing follicles, thus allowing a prognosis about their degree of maturity that is far more precise and meaningful than what can be achieved with conventional ultrasound technology. Scientific evidence has demonstrated that oocytes retrieved after 3D ultrasound monitoring subsequently showed a higher fertilization rate.

Safe freezing techniques

As one of the most modern freezing techniques, aseptic vitrification has become an integral part of our everyday work at the IVF Centers Prof. Zech. Since, at the current state of science, we are dealing here with closed and therefore aseptic systems, they are efficient and extremely safe, a fact which may also be crucial in primary cryo–cycles. This method is suitable for storing unfertilized oocytes, sperm as well as fertilized oocytes and embryos over an extended period of time, without compromising their development potential.

Internationally renowned leading scientists such as Dr. Pierre Vanderzwalmen, have contributed to the development of the vitrification technique. As early as 1982, Dr. Vanderzwalmen conducted the first studies in the field of gamete cryopreservation. Since 1994, he has been working for the IVF Centers Prof. Zech.

Dr. Pierre Vanderzwalmen, 2014:

“With the introduction of the aseptic vitrification, where direct touch of the oocytes or embryos with liquid nitrogen is prevented, the number of births following an IVF treatment has greatly increased. If we look back 15 years, a patient had to undergo several oocyte pick–ups to achieve one pregnancy. As a result of our accomplishments regarding single blastocyst transfer in combination with the very efficient aseptic vitrification technique, we are now able to achieve higher cumulative pregnancy rates at the IVF Centers Prof. Zech. From one oocyte retrieval, a woman may conceive several babies after transfer of one vitrified blastocyst at a time.”

Why is it important to optimally use efficient methods and technologies in order to help couples realize their dream of having a healthy child?

To take an analogy from motorsports: Buying a Ferrari does not automatically mean that you are able to drive this car, and being able to drive it doesn’t mean to be really in control of the racing car (around bends, at high speeds etc.). If you are in control of the Ferrari after some training sessions, this does not imply that you can win a race. It is only by having enough driving experience and being able to rely on the expertise of the whole team, that you can settle your Grand Prix victory.