Parenthood

From the desire to have children to the desired child

The fertility center offers a wide range of treatments.(Bild: Karin Nussbaumer)

For almost 40 years, dreams have been coming true at the Fertility Center at Feldkirch Regional Hospital. The success rate is remarkable.

The dream of having a child together is deeply rooted in the life plans of many couples. But sometimes, despite all hopes and efforts, this dream does not come true by itself. But there is always the option of medical intervention to help. In Vorarlberg, the Fertility Center Feldkirch has been the first port of call for people who are unable to conceive since 1985.

In 2023, 430 couples opted for fertility treatment for the first time. Including the old patient base, the fertility team carried out 889 treatment cycles, a large proportion of which were egg retrievals (516). A total of 759 embryo transfers were recorded. 1326 embryos were cryopreserved, i.e. frozen and stored for later transfer.

Age is not such a significant factor
More than two thirds of the women who underwent artificial insemination in Feldkirch were between 30 and 39 years old. Remarkable: "The pregnancy rates per embryo transfer performed show that the chance of success decreases only minimally with increasing age up to the group of 39-year-olds," reports senior physician Dr. Norbert Loacker. The pregnancy rate of over 40-year-olds is also still above average in comparison.

Thanks to the "miracle" of in vitro fertilization, 201 children were born in Feldkirch last year. "This corresponds to a 'baby take-home rate' of almost 34 percent, which puts us well above the average in Austria," says Loacker proudly, referring to the high success rate. Incidentally, the fertility center has had treatment with donor sperm in its repertoire since last year: "This means we can now also offer treatment options to lesbian couples."

The department also enjoys an excellent reputation beyond the country's borders: almost 30 percent of all patients come from abroad.