Repromeda — First Visit & Cycle 1 Protocol

In-person baseline + confirmed stimulation protocol from Dr. Filková and coordinator Adéla Kupka.
Date: May 25, 2026 · 1:00–4:30 PM CET (in-person, Brno)
Doctor: MUDr. Alena Filková
Coordinator: Mgr. Adéla Kupka
Participants: Andrea Antal + Adam Antal
Paid: 1,500 EUR (baseline package — deducted from whichever treatment package selected later)
AFC 4, AMH 0.9 ng/ml — lower than expected. Dr. Filková called the AFC “unexpected.” Reserve is declining faster than the prior AMH of 1.3 suggested. Protocol adapted: short antagonist cycle 1 (not long as originally planned), high-dose stimulation, dual trigger. Multi-cycle plan is more important than ever.
Travel
  • May 23: Left Vancouver 9 PM. Landed London 1:30 PM local. 6-hour layover. Left London ~8:40 PM.
  • May 25 ~midnight: Landed Budapest. Brother-in-law pickup. Arrived home ~1:30 AM. Slept ~2:30–3 AM.
  • May 25 6 AM: Up. Left Budapest 7 AM (public holiday — no traffic). Arrived Repromeda Brno 11:30 AM. ~3.5 hours sleep after 24+ hours travel.
  • May 25 4:30 PM: Left Brno. Back in Gyöngyös by 9:30 PM via Budapest (picked up Nathan + mother-in-law).
Baseline Results
AFC4 follicles. Dr. Filková said “unexpected” — she anticipated more based on prior AMH of 1.3. Confirms diminished ovarian reserve.
UterusGood size and shape. Confirmed ovulation this cycle.
Endometrium6.5 mm — improved from ~4 mm measured at Grace Fertility previously.
Blocked tubesHSG showed blocked tubes. Dr. raised hydrosalpinx risk (fluid dripping into uterus affects implantation). Ruled out based on ultrasound — no fluid visible.
Adam spermiogramAll parameters very good. No male factor. Done at 1 PM, results back by 2:30 PM consult.

Blood Work (drawn May 25, CD24 — luteal phase)

TestResultRef. RangeUnit
TSH1.960.38–3.50mIU/l
Free T4159–25pmol/l
Free T34.33.10–6.80pmol/l
Prolactin210102–496mIU/l
Estradiol598varies by phasepmol/l
Progesterone29.3luteal: 13.1–46.3nmol/l
Testosterone0.610.29–1.67nmol/l
Vitamin D96.475–250nmol/l
AMH0.90.06–4.44ng/ml

All values within range. TSH 1.96 is under the 2.5 IVF threshold — no thyroid adjustment needed. AMH 0.9 is the key number: down from 1.3, consistent with AFC 4. Luteal-phase draw may account for 10–15% of the drop.

Cycle 1 Protocol — Short Antagonist
Changed from long to short protocol. Three reasons: (1) arrived CD24 — too late for pre-cycle downreg injections, (2) short first gives baseline data to optimize cycle 2, (3) long protocol’s estrogen impact is an unnecessary variable for a first cycle.

Medications

DrugRoleDose / Qty
PergoverisFSH + LH stimulation150 IU/daily · 2 pens
Gonal-FAdditional FSH300 IU/daily · 3 pens
CetrotideGnRH antagonist (prevents premature ovulation)0.25 mg · 5 doses
DipherelineGnRH agonist trigger0.1 mg · 2 packs (14 vials)
OvitrellehCG trigger250 mcg · 1 unit

Total daily stim: 450 IU FSH + 75 IU LH. High-dose, appropriate for AFC 4 / AMH 0.9. Doctor may adjust after reviewing bloods — confirmed on CD1.

Dual trigger (Diphereline + Ovitrelle) confirmed.

Cycle Timeline

CD 1Email Adéla (any day including weekends). Doctor confirms final dose. CD 2–3Start Gonal-F 300 IU + Pergoveris 150 IU daily. Mornings, same time each day. CD 6–7First ultrasound (folliculometry). Brno or Budapest — our choice. CD 6–7+Add Cetrotide based on ultrasound findings. CD 8–10Second ultrasound → schedule trigger + retrieval date. Package decision deadline. CD 12–14Expected egg retrieval.

Injection Tutorials

Doctor Discussion

Uneven Follicle Growth

Andrea raised the uneven development from Grace (one dominant follicle, others small). Dr. Filková noted it but wants to observe cycle 1 under her protocol first. If uneven growth recurs: cycle 2 switches to long protocol with priming (testosterone or estrogen).

Testosterone Priming

Dr. raised testosterone supplementation for cycle 1 unprompted. Not prescribed — testosterone came back normal (0.61 nmol/l). Clarification pending from Adéla: was it dropped because levels were normal, or is it reserved for cycle 2 priming if needed?

PGT-A

  • Max 8 embryos per testing package.
  • Ideal to send at least 5 embryos for value vs. risk of loss.
  • Biopsy + vitrification done in-house. Dr. very confident in lab quality — thousands performed per year. “Virtually no risk” on thaw. Minor biopsy risk mitigated by lab skill.

Additional Testing (All-Inclusive Package)

beReadyEndometrial microbiome test. Checks endometrium readiness for transfer. Especially valuable if embryo count is low — maximizes each transfer attempt.
KIR genotypingNK cell receptor test. If Andrea has KIR AA genotype (“lazy” receptors), it won’t reject any embryo HLA-C type. If not AA, specific embryo selection matters for implantation. Affects transfer strategy.

Expectations

~5 oocytes per retrieval → 1–2 embryos after cultivation. “Sometimes the ovary can surprise us” — no guarantee on follicle count per cycle.

Positive Ultrasound Findings

  • Uterus: good size and shape.
  • Ovulation confirmed this cycle.
  • Endometrium 6.5 mm (up from ~4 mm at Grace).
  • Hydrosalpinx concern raised then ruled out — no fluid visible.
Logistics

Costs So Far

1,500 EUR paid for baseline (ultrasound + blood draws + spermiogram). Deducted from total package — already included in both All-Inclusive and Sperm Packet options.

Package decision deadline: 2nd ultrasound (CD 8–10).

Testing Choices

  • PANDA Carrier selected (not PANDA Complete). Results in 4–6 weeks.
  • Karyotype ordered. Results in 4–6 weeks.
  • Neither required to start stim — run in parallel.

Medication Procurement

BrnoPick up at clinic. Default option, confirmed available.
HungaryFill CZ prescription locally. Requires exploring HU pharmacy process. Andrea does not yet have a TAJ card (Hungarian health insurance). Prices may be cheaper — unconfirmed.
DHL from Brno~100–150 EUR shipping. Meds should be refrigerated; OK at room temp briefly but current weather is 31°C.

Pre-Op Requirements (Before Retrieval)

ECG + blood panel: total bilirubin, conjugated bilirubin, ALT, AST, alkaline phosphatase, GGT, urea, creatinine, glucose, sodium, potassium, chloride, blood count, prothrombin test, APTT ratio, fibrinogen, D-dimers, total protein, albumin, CRP.

During Stimulation

  • Avoid strenuous physical activity and heavy lifting.
  • Rest if fatigued.
  • Expected side effects: bloating, lower abdominal pain, mood swings, swollen abdomen.
  • Avoid sex or use contraception.
Cycle 2 Contingency

If uneven follicle development recurs in cycle 1: long protocol + priming for cycle 2.

  • Priming options: testosterone or estrogen. Doctor to decide based on cycle 1 outcomes.
  • Long protocol requires injections before cycle start — logistics feasible since Andrea will already be in HU/CZ.
Open Items
  1. Testosterone priming clarification — dropped because levels normal, or reserved for cycle 2? (Asked Adéla.)
  2. Package selection — All-Inclusive vs. Sperm Packet. Deadline: 2nd ultrasound.
  3. HU medication procurement — pharmacy process, TAJ card requirement, pricing.
  4. Pre-op scheduling — ECG + blood panel before retrieval. Where and when?
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