Interview with Gynem IVF Clinic Prague

Dr. Milan Mrázek discusses his IVF clinic – Gynem IVF – in Prague.

1) Gynem IVF clinic was established in September 2013.  What made you decide to open this clinic?

I wanted to open a clinic so that I could better utilize my knowledge and skills from 32 years experience and my interest in the field of infertility treatment. I feel like I can offer a better assisted reproduction experience in my own private clinic, and with the cooperation of the agency Medical Travel, provide full service for our foreign patients.

2) What can Gynem offer patients from abroad that is different from other clinics?

Because I was supervising clinic quality throughout the Czech Republic until 2010, I know most of the IVF clinics found in the country. It’s not easy to describe all of the differences our clinic offers compared to others, but the biggest difference that comes to mind is the modernity of our clinic. Gynem Fertility Clinic is in a completely new building which was constructed specifically for the purpose of fertility treatment, with my guidance and the cooperation of several great architects and technical engineers.

We also have a caring medical staff, who can communicate in English, German, French, Serbian and Russian and believe in a highly professional medical standard of treatment. Because of this, we have good clinical results even though we are a newer clinic in the region.

3) How experienced are the staff at Gynem?

I’ve been involved with assisted reproduction for twenty years. I served as the chairman for the Czech Society of Assisted Reproduction of the Czech Association of Gynecology and Obstetrics from 2004-2008. I was the head physicians of a private Prague IVF centre for twelve years until I decided to branch out into my own clinic. Two of my colleagues here are skilled OB/GYN and assisted reproduction specialists, whom I handpicked to work with me here at Gynem Fertility Clinic. The head of our embryologic laboratory is a natural science doctor who already has the ESHRE senior embryologist certification and is completing his Ph.D. now.

4) Can you tell us about your egg donation program? Where do you find your donors and how are they screened? How successful has it been so far?

Our oocyte donors are examined only when they have decided for themselves that donation is something that they would like to do at our clinic. All donors must be screened according to the strict criteria of the Czech state authority (Institute for Drug Control of the Czech Republic) and according to the implemented European Tissue and Cell Directive. The age limit must be less than 35 and all donors must test negative for sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV, lues, hepatitis B and C. Donors also must pass a psychological and genetic examination, which includes a negative result for cystic fibrosis.

5) All clinics in the Czech Republic have to be inspected before they can open, is this process quite strict? Many people worry about regulations abroad.

Clinics in the Czech Republic are inspected at least every two years and must have a valid license, issued by the State Institute for Drug Control, which inspects everything from personnel, assessment of donors, equipment and the storage system of reproductive cells to how a clinic handles patients with adverse reactions.

6) Which particular technique do you think has had the biggest impact on IVF treatment in recent years?

I think that CGH (Comparative Genomic Hybridization) has had a great impact on IVF along with the vitrification of embryos to give a high probability of achieving pregnancy after thawing. And certainly, also the ability to freeze oocytes for future usage has had a big impact as it wasn’t possible in the past.

7) Finally, why should people come to Prague for treatment rather than other cities?

Well, I can’t answer this question very objectively as I was born and raised in Prague and consider it to be one of the most beautiful cities in the Czech Republic and in the world…

Here’s more information about Gynem IVF Clinic and IVF in the Czech Republic