imi Fertility Treatment
Your own personal path to your dream child: with medical precision and genuine human sensitivity.
The desire to have a child is one of the most profound themes in life.
These are precisely the questions that our innovative, holistic imi treatment approach keeps at its centre: on one hand, through precise, state-of-the-art diagnosis to accurately identify the underlying causes; on the other, through a tailor-made, stepwise treatment plan that is both gentle and effective — and that brings together pioneering medical expertise with genuine human care.
At imi, experience has taught us this: the path to pregnancy can encounter many obstacles and challenges. But with the right support, it can lead — all the more successfully and joyfully — to the outcome you have been hoping for.
We resolve fertility problems with compassion and success.
We are among the world’s leading fertility specialists — because we leave no stone unturned in identifying the causes, and no question unanswered.
The imi Fertility Clinic in the heart of Vienna is one of the leading specialists and pioneers in the holistic investigation and successful treatment of fertility problems. Drawing on many years of experience, modern diagnostics and individualised care, we guide couples on their path to conception — with rigour, empathy and a clear plan.
Unfulfilled desire for a child: the most common causes
A pregnancy that does not come as quickly as hoped is far from unusual today. More and more couples are affected — for reasons that we at imi know and understand well.
One significant factor is the growing gap between biological age and personal life planning: women typically reach the peak of their fertility at around the age of 28, while in men sperm quality begins to decline from approximately 35.
Yet it is precisely during this reproductively optimal window — around the third decade of life — that many people are focused on career building, finding a partner or other life priorities that lead them to postpone starting a family.
When the desire for a child comes later in life
With the possibilities of modern medicine, we are today able to offer targeted yet gentle support when the desire for a child comes later in life. A carefully calibrated, evidence-based fertility treatment programme at imi can effectively improve your chances of pregnancy and accompany you on that journey — always in keeping with your individual circumstances, the realistic biological picture, and a responsible assessment of the risks associated with pregnancy at a later stage of life.
Identifying and addressing hidden causes
Hormonal imbalances can also play an important role. They often develop gradually — through nutritional deficiencies associated with modern lifestyles, stress, or a way of living that disrupts the body’s natural rhythms. These influences frequently go unnoticed for a long time, yet can have a measurable impact on fertility.
At the imi Fertility Centre, we take all of these factors seriously and examine them with the utmost care. Using scientific precision, extensive experience and modern diagnostics, we investigate possible causes thoroughly — because a clear, well-founded diagnosis is the first and most important step on the path to successful fertility treatment.
What many people do not realise: assisted reproduction is no guarantee of success
When pregnancy takes longer than expected, many couples turn relatively quickly to assisted reproduction — such as intrauterine insemination (IUI), in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI).
These procedures unquestionably have their place in the treatment of fertility problems. But what many people underestimate is that they, too, offer no guarantee of a swift or successful pregnancy. Even under optimal conditions, multiple attempts are usually needed: on average, around a year passes between the start of treatment and a successful conception.
This is precisely why it is so important to look not only at the treatment method itself, but above all at the underlying causes — which is exactly what we do, in keeping with our holistic imi philosophy. Treatable factors such as hormonal imbalances, infections or anatomical irregularities frequently impair natural fertility. Identifying and addressing these can often prove to be the decisive step — and can make it possible to avoid treatment approaches that are both more burdensome and ultimately unnecessary.
What patients say about imi
The right treatment at the right time.
It is of particular importance to us that we guide your path to a child as effectively, precisely and methodically as possible. To achieve this, we investigate every detail of what has stood in the way of pregnancy so far — and align diagnostics, therapy and timing to your individual situation.
That is why we take the time to understand the individual medical, hormonal and psychological background to your unfulfilled desire for a child — in an environment where you feel genuinely heard and thoughtfully supported. Because only when we have a precise picture of all the contributing factors can we chart the right course together.
This includes, above all, thorough diagnostics: alongside a comprehensive gynaecological assessment — and a parallel investigation of potential causes on the male side — we employ the most advanced techniques available: from hormonal profiling and ultrasound to diagnostic hysteroscopy for a detailed examination of the uterus, and investigation of immunological factors, which are among the most frequently identified causes of unsuccessful pregnancies.
The good news: your chances of having a child are often better than you think
As our experience consistently shows, the reason a pregnancy has not yet occurred is, for many couples, not an insurmountable problem but a solvable one. This is precisely where we come in — with an individually tailored treatment concept that takes your life as it is and gently restores your body’s receptive balance.
What matters is the right step at the right moment — and sometimes a little patience and the space to pause. This is exactly what we are here to help you with: with empathy, clinical excellence and a single, clear focus — giving your desire for a child the best possible chance of being fulfilled.
Impressively high success rates — with your personalised imi fertility treatment plan
Around 83% of couples were able to fulfil their desire for a child through targeted, tailor-made imi therapies — without the need for complex assisted reproduction procedures such as IVF — achieving conception in a particularly natural way.
A result that affirms our commitment and expertise in an extraordinary way, and establishes us as one of the leading specialists and pioneers in medically supported fertility care.
The imi Treatment Plan is an individually structured course of treatment built on the full findings of the imi Basis Diagnostics®. It accompanies you over several months, is continuously adjusted as needed, and brings together hormonal support, modern reproductive medicine and the treatment of any underlying conditions.
The core components of the imi Treatment Plan:
- Personal, individually tailored 6-month treatment plan
- Low-dose stimulation
- Cycle monitoring and follicle tracking
- Luteal phase support to optimise ovulation, endometrial receptivity and implantation
- IUI (intrauterine insemination)
- Additional measures for specific findings:
- PCOS: pharmaceutical therapy, surgical ovarian drilling where indicated
- Recurrent miscarriage: specialist luteal phase and early pregnancy support, surgical measures where indicated
- Endometriosis: diagnosis and surgical removal of lesions (laparoscopy)
Your fertility journey at imi: how does the investigation and treatment work?
Appointment 1 – Comprehensive initial consultation
The first appointment is dedicated to your medical history, previous experiences and all relevant details. Possible treatment pathways are also outlined at this stage, so that any decisions you face can be made on a fully informed basis.
Appointment 2 – Parallel assessment of both partners
Basic diagnostics for men:
- Semen analysis with simultaneous blood draw and bacteriological examination
- Routinely supplemented by DNA fragmentation analysis (assessing the genetic stability of the sperm), MAR test, and where indicated, an assessment of oxidative stress
Basic diagnostics for women:
- Comprehensive blood analysis with specialist parameters (hormones, ovarian reserve, coagulation, immune markers, thyroid function, iron status, organ function)
- Detailed ultrasound assessment of the uterus, endometrium, ovaries, antral follicles, cysts, fibroids and indicators of endometriosis
- Bacteriological examination and urine analysis including chlamydia testing
Diagnostic hysteroscopy:
This procedure is used to assess the uterine cavity, its anatomy, possible adhesions or polyps, and potential causes of recurrent miscarriage. When performed purely for diagnostic purposes, the procedure is painless, though mild period-like cramping may occasionally occur.
HyCoSy – fallopian tube patency test:
Under ultrasound guidance, a specially formulated, well-tolerated medium is gently flushed through the fallopian tubes. This allows the patency, function and any anatomical characteristics of the tubes to be assessed in a gentle and non-invasive way. An additional benefit of this procedure is that it has been shown to increase pregnancy rates.
Appointment 3 – Joint treatment plan
Treatment with a clear structure:
The aim from the outset is to identify the right approach and pursue it consistently — so that a change of method is not required before the desired pregnancy is achieved.
Treatment encompasses:
- Pre-treatment where needed, if specific findings first require correction or stabilisation
- Parallel improvement or optimisation within the context of ongoing fertility treatment
- Fertility treatment itself, beginning with the least intensive method offering the highest likelihood of success
Treatment proceeds methodically, with as little burden to you as possible. If the initial approach does not yield the desired result, therapy is escalated step by step in a controlled manner.
Treatment upon confirmation of pregnancy:
When pregnancy is confirmed, it is supported to the fullest extent from the outset. This is also because a potential issue such as recurrent miscarriage cannot always be excluded prior to the start of treatment or before a complete diagnostic assessment has been completed.
A potential tendency towards recurrent miscarriage is therefore assumed as a precautionary working hypothesis. Following what is often a lengthy and hard-won path to pregnancy, treatment is adjusted accordingly to give the early pregnancy the strongest possible foundation.
Ongoing pregnancy care can be continued at imi at the patient’s wish, or — upon reaching twelve weeks — the patient can transition seamlessly back to the care of her regular gynaecologist.
Our guiding principle
We place particular importance on identifying the right approach for you from the start. An incorrect strategy, or failure to identify the true underlying cause, can often result in significant loss of time — and with it, a potential loss of fertility. Our goal is therefore the right treatment from the beginning, with the greatest possible chance of success and the least possible burden.
FAQs — Fertility: do you still have questions?
Being well informed makes for better decisions. Here you will find our answers to your most important questions and the clarity you need for your next steps towards the child you are hoping for.
To help you find your bearings, we have compiled the most important questions and answers on the diagnosis and treatment of fertility problems. You will find guidance on when an assessment is recommended, what causes most commonly lie behind an absence of pregnancy, and what individually tailored modern therapies can look like today.
Our goal is to give you clarity and confidence — with information that is both medically sound and explained in a way that is accessible and close to real life. Because at imi, the treatment itself is only part of what we offer; equally important is the knowledge that accompanies you throughout the process.
- When is a desire for a child actually considered unfulfilled?
As a general rule, a desire for a child is considered unfulfilled when, despite regular unprotected intercourse over a period of approximately one year, no pregnancy has occurred. For women over 35, this threshold is shortened to six months before a medical assessment is recommended, as fertility declines with age.
Our recommendation: do not wait too long before seeking medical advice. The sooner you have clarity about the underlying causes, the more precisely and gently treatment can be targeted. An early conversation with our team can resolve many uncertainties and reliably identify possible causes.
- What are the most common reasons why pregnancy does not occur?
The reasons are varied. The causes may lie with the woman, with the man, or with both.
In women, the most common causes include:
- Cycle disorders, for example due to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) — one of the most prevalent hormonal conditions
- Endometriosis, a benign but often chronic and painful condition in which endometrial tissue grows outside the uterus
- Hormonal imbalances and deficiencies, sometimes influenced by environmental factors and diet
- Blocked fallopian tubes
- Immunological factors, such as elevated natural killer (NK) cell activity or genetic variants in KIR genes
One important factor that is often underestimated: when a woman has been trying to conceive for some time without success, physical or psychological stress can play a significant role. High levels of pressure, intensive exercise or a very demanding lifestyle can cause the body to direct less energy towards the reproductive cycle. Ovulation and menstruation can become irregular, or may pause altogether. In many cases, however, this is a condition that responds well to treatment and regulation.
In men, relevant causes include:
- Reduced sperm quality
- Elevated DNA fragmentation of sperm
- Infections or varicocele (varicose veins of the testis)
Age, lifestyle and diet can also play an important role; in some cases, no definitive cause is identified. This is precisely why thorough, comprehensive diagnostics are essential — and precisely where our holistic approach comes in, working to restore natural fertility and identify the right individualised solution.
- Why are thorough diagnostics so important?
Because every fertility story — just like every woman — is unique. At imi, every treatment pathway therefore begins with a careful, medically precise assessment:
- We take a full medical history
- We analyse your hormonal status and monitor your cycle
- We carry out a detailed semen analysis for your male partner (including the DNA fragmentation index as a marker of sperm DNA integrity)
- We investigate immunological and infectious factors
- We assess fallopian tube patency using HyCoSy — a highly reliable, ultrasound-based technique for examining the fallopian tubes and uterine cavity, and a particularly gentle alternative to conventional X-ray-based tubal testing
- Where indicated, we perform a diagnostic hysteroscopy — an endoscopic imaging procedure allowing precise assessment of the uterine cavity for abnormalities such as fibroids, polyps or endometrial changes
Our experience confirms: a therapy can only be durably successful when it is built on a solid diagnostic foundation.
- What treatment options does imi offer — and how do they work?
In the imi Fertility Centre, our approach to selecting and applying every form of treatment follows a clear and considered principle: “as little as necessary, as much as needed.” Depending on your individual diagnosis, the options range from:
- Cycle monitoring with precisely timed intercourse
- Through to gentle hormonal stimulation
- And intrauterine insemination (IUI), which is scientifically supported as a meaningful option for women up to the age of 42
Should in vitro fertilisation (IVF) or intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI) prove necessary to fulfil your desire for a child, we are happy to refer you to leading, highly specialised IVF and ICSI centres — and equally happy to continue accompanying you through a successful pregnancy.
Additionally, we also work with:
- Targeted use of high-quality micronutrient supplementation
- Immunological adjunct therapy
- How long does treatment take until pregnancy is achieved?
The timing of a successful pregnancy is highly individual — and depends on age, diagnosis and the treatment chosen. A wait within the normal range can span from a few months to over a year. What matters here is that success sometimes requires patience.
This is why we accompany you attentively through every cycle, give you honest feedback on the prospects of each approach — and remain firmly at your side even through any initial setbacks. In cases of repeated unsuccessful attempts, we continue to investigate all possible contributing factors carefully — such as implantation failure or miscarriage — so that you are not exposed to unnecessary risks, and so that together we can steadily and methodically improve your chances of a successful pregnancy.
- Which treatment is appropriate at what point – and when does a method reach its limits?
Since every fertility journey is unique, no blanket recommendation can be made. There are, however, clear medical criteria by which it is possible to assess which steps make sense in which sequence — and which do not.
At imi, we focus deliberately on gentle, individually tailored approaches that support your natural conditions as effectively as possible. These include:
- Targeted cycle optimisation
- Fine hormonal adjustment
- Regulation of cycle irregularities
- Treatment of underlying conditions such as thyroid disorders or hormonal imbalances
- Structured fertility monitoring
- Where indicated, surgical intervention — most often minimally invasive or laparoscopic — to address conditions affecting fertility, such as endometriosis, blocked fallopian tubes, ovarian cysts, fibroids or PCOS
If it becomes clear that these approaches are not sufficient, or that your individual situation calls for more complex measures, we will advise you openly and transparently about further options — including intrauterine insemination (IUI) or methods outside our own scope of services, such as referral to specialist centres offering highly invasive assisted reproduction procedures (IVF, ICSI).
In every individual case, we discuss with you in depth when active steps are appropriate, when supportive measures are sufficient — and when watchful waiting may itself be a valid option. Our commitment throughout is to give you a realistic assessment, clear guidance and a recommendation that is right for you.
- What happens in cases of recurrent miscarriage or implantation failure?
When a pregnancy is achieved but cannot be maintained, immunological factors may be involved — such as elevated NK cell activity or KIR gene variants — as may elevated DNA fragmentation of the sperm.
At the imi Fertility Clinic, we provide detailed guidance on these complex immunological dynamics and develop individualised treatment strategies to improve the prospects of stable implantation. Because a pregnancy does not begin with a positive test — it begins with the right foundation.
- What do you need to know about the legal framework for fertility treatment in Austria?
In Austria, medically assisted reproduction is governed by clear statutory provisions set out in the Reproductive Medicine Act (Fortpflanzungsmedizingesetz, FMedG) and the IVF Fund Act (IVF-Fonds-Gesetz), which include the following:
- Prior to any medically assisted reproduction, all parties involved (i.e. spouses, registered partners or cohabiting partners) must receive comprehensive medical counselling covering the various causes of infertility, the proposed treatment method, its prospects and uncertainties, and the significance and consequences of the procedure. Psychological and psychotherapeutic aspects and options must also be addressed. This medical consultation is an absolute legal requirement and must take place no later than 14 days before the procedure is carried out.
- Medically assisted reproduction is only permitted within the context of a marriage, a registered partnership or a cohabiting relationship. Since the amendment of the Reproductive Medicine Act in 2015, it is also available to women in a same-sex marriage or partnership. Surrogacy is not permitted under current Austrian law. For men in a same-sex marriage or partnership who wish to have a child, adoption therefore remains the only available option.
- For single women, medically assisted reproduction (such as social egg freezing) was until recently prohibited under Austrian law. However, a ruling by the Constitutional Court at the end of October 2025, striking down the statutory prohibition on the elective cryopreservation of one’s own eggs without a medical indication (such as endometriosis or prior to chemotherapy), has created a new legal situation that is set to take effect from 1 April 2027. From that date, women in Austria will be permitted to have their eggs preserved for personal reasons — though the precise regulations (age limits, counselling requirements, etc.) are yet to be finalised.
Like the subject of medically assisted reproduction itself, the Austrian legal framework in this area is wide-ranging and complex. We will inform you clearly, thoroughly and in plain terms about all relevant aspects — and help you identify the options that are right for you, both legally and personally.
- Why is comprehensive medical counselling required before fertility treatment?
The desire for a child is not only a medically complex matter — it is also a defining step in a person’s life. Before any medically assisted reproduction takes place, spouses, registered partners or cohabiting partners must therefore receive thorough counselling from a physician covering the causes of infertility, the proposed treatment, its effects, and the various possible consequences and ancillary considerations.
This mandatory medical consultation must take place no later than 14 days before the procedure is carried out. It must also be conducted in language that is accessible to a non-medical audience. The right to this consultation cannot be lawfully waived.
As part of this process, the treating physician is also required to inform the couple of the option of psychological counselling or psychotherapeutic support.
The medical counselling session covers, among other topics:
- The various causes of infertility
- The proposed treatment method, its prospects and uncertainties, and the significance of the procedure
- The potential consequences and risks of treatment for the woman and the prospective child
- The medical devices and medicinal products used during the procedure, and their potential side effects
- The costs associated with the procedure, including anticipated follow-on costs
- What services and possibilities does the imi Fertility Clinic Vienna offer?
The imi Fertility Clinic Vienna brings together a dedicated, holistically oriented team with deep expertise in our core medical areas of gynaecology and endocrinology — experienced, committed and focused on a single goal: to accompany you on your path to a child with understanding, individualised care and real results.
At our fertility clinic in the heart of Vienna, you benefit from:
- An extensive body of scientific experience and medical expertise at the highest level
- State-of-the-art diagnostics (imi Basis Diagnostics®)
- A comprehensive range of forward-looking treatment options, individually tailored to your personal wishes and needs
- A mindful, holistic medical philosophy guided by the principle: “as little as necessary, as much as needed”
- Clear, well-founded and empathetic communication
- High and repeatedly demonstrated success rates in medically supported fertility care
- Individual attention for one of the most personal and significant journeys in life
- An environment in which medical excellence and genuine human warmth go hand in hand — from the very first moment
Your first step towards the child you are hoping for
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