Online Reviews

I got pregnant with no menstrual cycle!

I had polycystic ovaries and was under birth control for six years. "Since you don’t have a period, it’s difficult for you to get pregnant and have a child," my gynecologist had said. At that time I had stopped taking the pill for two and half years and had free intercourse with my husband for six months, almost every day, or every other day. My period came all of a sudden after 4 months and only once. And so in the beginning I didn’t realize I was pregnant. I hadn’t menstruated for three months. And then I only had one single drop of black blood for one day and I conceived! And never saw any blood ever since. I conceived a child with no period!

The hCG test was wrong!

I had had an hCG test with another doctor, and had come out with a wrong result. I have a thyroid condition and I had a thyroid scan. As soon as I did the scan, I started vomiting. On the first couple of days, I thought it was the Thyroid scintigraphy. But the vomiting wouldn’t stop. So here I was taking the hCG test once again two weeks later. There had been a lab mistake. I was pregnant.

You have to have an abortion!

I go to my gynecologist, I’m telling him I’d had a thyroid scan, he examines me and finds that indeed I was pregnant. He closes the monitor, so I wouldn’t be able to see the baby, and turns to me and says: "We need to arrange for the abortion."

My eyes are full of tears. Because I had the thyroid scan and the scan drug had entered in my system (something like radioactive iodine), he said that the child would be affected. As we learned in the process, the amount of radiation was the same as when you put the mobile phone to your ear. I had a feeling that the child as healthy as could be. Whatever it is, I want to go ahead and have a nuchal translucency, I said. "I will not take that risk,” says the gynecologist. “Either you have an abortion, or go find another doctor.”

Pregnancy after a Thyroid Scan

I looked for another obstetrician and found Dr Paraschos. I emailed him the thyroid test results and asked him what I should do from then on. We set up an appointment after 2 days. After he examines me, he goes, "In taking over now, and there's no way anything happens to the child!" He just saw me quite often, to check the baby’s development. Every week we had an ultrasound, whereas normally, I would have had it once a month. After we did the NT and saw everything was OK, I calmed down.

Motherhood is the best thing in the world

I felt complete. I cannot describe this feeling. Amazing moments, very strong emotions. And to think the other gynecologist wanted me to have an abortion! And now I see my boy and say: "Dude, you're a joy to us all!”

After birth my polycystic ovaries were gone!

I kept my child. I heard not my mind, but my heart. After giving birth I now have a normal period. And I do not have PCOS anymore. Birth helped with the thyroid, too. It got smaller.

During pregnancy every 45 days I was tested for my thyroid levels. Since the 8th month my thyroid reached normal levels. "To stay there, it is advisable to keep taking the pills," my doctor told me. Anyway, pregnancy eventually changes everything. Pregnancy hormones do wonders.

I've been talking to EMBIO for a while because I wanted to know a lot about IVF treatment in Greece and because it's so difficult in the UK with my age (47) to get pregnant. Their IVF coordinator has been very good, she talked me through everything, step by step, and I started the treatement at home. It was very helpful, so I didn't have to waste a lot of money in Athens staying at a hotel, and the treatment went on as soon as I got to Athens. I had donor egg ivf with my partner's sperm. This is my first IVF, and I tried with donor eggs to improve my chances of getting pregnant.

Dr Paraschos and everyone else there is welcoming, is good, they way they talk to you, they relax you. I emailed them like 2 in the morning, bless them.
And then they're always replying me asap. The IVF coordinator helped me to find a hotel to stay, which was very good.

I recommend this to anyone of my age to come and TTC at Embio in Athens.

At 44, after three long years of trying to have a child, we felt like we were running out of options. We had attempted IVF four times in Australia, but my body never produced more than a single embryo. Three of those cycles had to be cancelled, and the one time we made it to an embryo transfer, it was unsuccessful. The emotional toll was immense.

A doctor finally recommended we look to Greece, which offered a solution to a concern that weighed heavily on us: privacy. In Australia, egg donation is not anonymous. We knew of a story where a donor later decided she wanted her child back, and that uncertainty was something we couldn't live with. For us, building our family is a personal journey, and we wanted to protect that privacy.

What truly guided us to emBIO in Athens was my sister. She came to this very clinic, and today she is happily and healthily pregnant with triplets! Seeing her success and how well her babies are growing gave us a confidence that no statistic ever could. We knew we were following a path that had already led our family to joy.

From the moment we walked in, the emBIO clinic felt right. It is a modern and welcoming place, and the staff treated us with such kindness. We had a specific concern about Thalassemia and wanted to ensure our donor was not a carrier. The team took this request seriously, giving us peace of mind.

The whole process was managed with care. I started my treatment in Sydney and traveled to Athens for the final steps. It took about four weeks to perfectly synchronize my cycle with our donor's, a bit longer than my sister's, but the team handled everything. When the day for the transfer arrived, the procedure itself was quick and surprisingly simple—it felt much like a routine Pap smear. After such a long and difficult road, we finally feel that we are in the right hands.

We’ve been married many many years. I’m 50 now and we’ve been trying since I was early 20’s. We’ve done many IVF treatments in Australia with my own eggs at Monash IVF in Melbourne, from 30 to 40. At 40 I fell pregnant with my own frozen embryos with twins, but I miscarried.
I gave up for 10 years and then I saw Mary Coustas, I’ve come to Greece to try and get pregnant with donor eggs. I didn’t know about donor egg IVF until Mary Coustas went on TV and did the documentary.

Then I went back to Monash IVF and they said 45,000 Australian dollars to bring eggs for me from an American egg bank. Or I have to find my own donor eggs in Australia, which could take up to 2 years. And a lot of red tape, social working. And you have to advertise. And then I did some research for surrogacy and adoption, but we were too old, because 40 is the cut-off in Australia.

You wait about 10 years and then, if you’re lucky, they may give you a child, because people don’t give up children for adoption anymore.
Surrogacy is even worse. More paperwork. Even the biological mother can change her mind last minute and she can keep it, even if it’s our embryo.

And on the birth certificate it’s her name, not ours. And they have to have contact till 18. Surrogacy is real bad.
So I got desperate, and then I saw Mary Coustas, I googled, ‘where is the best fertility clinic in the world’ and Greece came first, then Spain.

So I googled, ‘Greece fertility treatment’ and Embio came up. Embio looked much more professional than the other Greek clinic and I sent an email to the IVF coordinator. The same night the IVF coordinator sent me an email straight back explaining the treatment to me. I got a shock that she answered back so quick.

And Dr Thanos Paraschos said, “any questions, ask IVF coordinator, and you are welcome at my clinic.”
And he sent lots of information, links about Embio.
And I spoke to the IVF coordinator nearly every night for 2 weeks. I asked her lots of questions and she answered everything. She was fantastic. She gave me the courage to take this leap of faith. And then she sent information, which tests for me and my husband to take in Australia to speed up the process and make it a lot easier for us.
 

We only had to fly over for the semen collection and the embryo transfer. All done in one week. In 3 appointments. Monday, first consultation, Wednesday, sperm collection, Friday, embryo transfer. This never would have happened in Australia. And I don’t believe anywhere else. And it’s also very cheap here compared to Australia. Then we stayed for another 4 weeks, for sightseeing. Athens is very lovely. We were not stressed. It was all done in a week. Very happy with the clinic, the IVF coordinator, and Dr Thanos Paraschos!

I had IVF sperm donor and donor eggs. In Victoria, where I live, the age limit for donor eggs is 45. I looked for donor eggs for a year.

About EmBIO IVF Clinic, in one word, I would say: Outstanding!

Dr Paraschos is very gentle and caring.

They said I could travel on the same day after the embryo transfer, but I chose to stay and have vacation in Greece and Cyprus, and I’m going to Spain and Paris, so I’ll be in Europe until September.

Four embryos were transferred today. I’m excited.

Everything was perfect. I couldn’t have asked for a better experience.

I feel that they took care of me.

I’ve had 2 miscarriages in the past and I thought to give me a better chance with egg donation. I’m 50 and my periods are starting to be irregular.

I did a lot or research and thought Embio clinic looked more professional and Dr Thanos worked with Professor Winston, and I thought it was all meant to be.

I remembered Dr Paraschos’ face from the TV programmes I had watched when I was younger.

Everything added together. The website was really professional. It had all the information.

I messaged IVF Coordinator and she answered all my questions. I asked the best options for me. Our IVF Coordinator answered back straight away. Communication was really good.

When I was anxious about something, I emailed our IVF Coordinator and she reassured me. She got back in touch and told me everything upfront, very honest about things.

It was actually an easier process than I thought.

I was anxious coming over here, but I was really reassured when I met the Doctor. It was a lot more simple than I thought it would be.

There were no problems with the language because our IVF Coordinator spoke very good English and the Doctor as well. We even asked to take a photograph with the Doctor and our IVF coordinator. We wouldn’t have done that if we hadn’t felt comfortable.

The clinic even changed the dates for us because we were moving house.

(Peter) I had my sperm test in Scotland and I was nervous it took 3 attempts because I was too anxious. And we came here at Embio and I had the choice to do it at the hotel and not at the clinic. I chose the hotel because it felt more comfortable.

We got a taxi which was fine. It was quite easy to get to the clinic. Only 10 euros from the centre of Athens to the clinic.

(Ann) Our IVF Coordinator told us that there were 4 eggs fertilized, but they implanted only three, because one of them was not good.

Today during the embryo transfer, Peter was more nervous than I was.

The embryo transfer was quick. They found a polyp outside the uterus. Now I’ll go to check it up. I wouldn’t have known that if I hadn’t done the embryo transfer. So it’s good.

All the medication was explained properly.  After contact is going to be good, which is reassuring, as well.

Whatever happens, we’re glad we chose this clinic.

We went to the Acropolis, the Olympic Stadium the Parthenon, Attica Zoo, to Piraeus, we took the ferry across to Salamina…

In England they won’t help you with a fertility treatment if you are over 40.

So at 50, and after a year with no menstruation, a friend found Embio on the internet. She was also interested for egg donation in Greece. She said, “You try first. I’ll try after you.”

So I was ‘sent’ to Embio, Athens to see how it goes.

And… it’s triplets!

Fortune favours the brave!

My first children, from a previous marriage, were conceived naturally. My eldest daughter was very supportive regarding my donor egg treatment. Now she’s quite excited with the triplets.

Our donor egg babies will look like me

We know of the donor’s height, the colour of her eyes, her occupation, colour of her hair, her interests, and her age. She’s 28.

Dr Paraschos picked the best match: Fair complexion, blond hair, brown eyes.

The IVF experience

Everything was very easy. Our IVF coordinator, gave us the prescription for the medication and an online chemistry in the UK.

From the medication I’ve had some bloated feeling, but only when the doses went higher. This lasted 4-5 days. It’s nothing bad. I was drinking more water, it helps.

We also went to the Acropolis, and the beach.

So now, it’s my friend’s turn.