Frequently Asked Questions

Visit a fertility center if pregnancy is delayed — whether the cause is known or not — if you have a known condition that may affect fertility, or if you want to preserve your fertility. A medical assessment at Rahem identifies the cause and the right next steps as early as possible.

No. The doctor decides which tests you need after taking your medical history and assessing your case. If you already have previous tests or scans, please bring them.

Bring anything that helps the doctor understand your case from the first visit:

• Any previous lab tests.
• Any previous X-rays, scans or ultrasounds.
• Reports from any previous ICSI or IVF attempts.
• A list of your current medications.
• Your medical history and any previous surgeries.

Both partners should attend if possible.

It is best for both partners to attend. Delayed pregnancy can involve factors on either side, so assessing both together gives a complete picture and lets both be treated at the same time.

If the husband is travelling, the wife can come alone, start testing and stimulation, and have her eggs frozen until the husband arrives to fertilize them.

Your first visit starts with a medical assessment: your medical history, an initial ultrasound, and a review of all available tests.

The next steps are then set with a consultant — Rahem's consultants are among the leading ICSI specialists in the Arab world.

Usually not. The first visit is for assessing your case, understanding your medical history and reviewing available tests; the right next steps are decided after that.

In some cases — depending on the woman's condition, age and ovarian reserve — a Random Start protocol can begin straight away to preserve fertility and get the best, fastest results.

No. Every case has its own assessment and treatment plan, which is why your medical history and tests are reviewed before any treatment decision.

No. ICSI is not suitable or necessary for every case. The treatment depends on the cause of the delay, the woman's age, ovarian reserve, male factor, previous history and other medical factors.

Both are assisted-reproduction techniques; they differ in how the egg is fertilized. In ICSI a single sperm is injected directly into the egg, while in conventional IVF the eggs are placed with sperm in the lab so fertilization happens on its own.

Usually 15 to 20 days from the start of ovarian stimulation.

It varies with the treatment protocol, your response to stimulation and the steps your case needs; your doctor sets the schedule.

In most protocols stimulation starts at the beginning of your period — on day 1 or day 2 of the cycle. Timing and medication vary with each patient's treatment plan.

Yes. During stimulation you have an ultrasound every two days to measure the follicles, and hormone tests may be requested, to check how the ovaries respond and time the next steps.

Egg retrieval is a medical procedure done under general anaesthesia, using an ultrasound-guided needle to collect eggs from both ovaries. Your doctor explains the procedure and how to prepare beforehand.

They go to Rahem's embryology lab, where they are fertilized with sperm according to your treatment plan, and the embryos' development is then monitored.

It depends on how the embryos develop and on your treatment plan; transfer can happen at different stages.

In some cases embryos are grown to day 5 and transferred, or frozen so the woman can rest and transferred in the next cycle once the uterine lining is prepared — a frozen-transfer approach Rahem is known for.

Yes. Embryos suitable for freezing can be stored and used later, depending on the embryos' condition and the medical plan.

Yes. Frozen embryo transfer is available: the uterine lining is prepared and the transfer is timed according to your doctor's plan.

Yes. Egg freezing preserves fertility in suitable cases, such as delayed marriage or before chemotherapy or radiotherapy. Your case is assessed first to confirm the procedure suits you.

Yes. Several types of embryo genetic testing are available in suitable cases; your doctor decides whether you need it and which test, based on your medical history.

Embryo biopsy is a specialised procedure done in Rahem's embryology lab by a team experienced in it, and only embryos suitable for biopsy are selected, based on embryo assessment and the techniques used.

Your doctor and the embryology team explain the benefits and considerations for your case.

Yes — by selecting embryos whose quality allows a biopsy to be taken and tested without affecting them. The embryo's sex can be identified through three services:

• Sex determination only.
• Sex determination + chromosome 21.
• Full chromosomal screening of the embryo (all 48 chromosomes).

The number of embryos transferred is decided on several medical factors, balancing the chance of pregnancy against the risks of a multiple pregnancy. Transferring a single embryo is always the best option.

Yes. Male-factor infertility has different causes, each with its own assessment and options, so the husband is assessed alongside the wife when needed.

A semen analysis is the essential first step, but some men need further assessment or tests depending on the result, their medical history and a review by Rahem's andrology consultant.

No. No fertility treatment has a guaranteed result. Success depends on several factors, including the woman's age, ovarian reserve, the quality of the eggs, sperm and embryos, male factor and overall health.

Yes. Age is one of the most important factors in fertility, but it cannot predict success on its own — the whole case has to be assessed.

Yes, in some cases additional cycles can be done to collect more eggs; the decision depends on the previous attempt's result, your assessment and your doctor's advice.

Yes. After the transfer a pregnancy-test date and follow-up are set according to your plan, and if you are pregnant, follow-up continues as your doctor advises.

No. One unsuccessful attempt does not mean you are out of options. Your doctor reviews that attempt and its results to decide the right next steps.

Yes. The assessment can start online in suitable cases, especially for patients outside Egypt: we collect your details and medical history, review your reports, and then set the next steps with the doctor.

Yes. You can start with an online assessment and send your previous reports; your trip to Egypt is then planned if your case needs procedures or follow-up at the center.

In some cases stimulation can even start abroad, and you travel to Rahem for egg retrieval, fertilization and embryo transfer.

Contact Rahem's patient-care team to book your appointment and choose the right branch and doctor for your case:

• Hotline: 15746
• WhatsApp / mobile: +20 120 208 1106

Rahem has branches in:

• First Settlement – New Cairo.
• Mohandessin.
• Zagazig.

Where some procedures take place depends on your case and the service you need.