IVF Tandem Cycle
Expanding Your Chances with Your Own Eggs and Donor Eggs
What Is an IVF Tandem Cycle?
An IVF tandem cycle is a smart and highly effective fertility treatment designed for women with low ovarian reserve, reduced egg quality, or previous unsuccessful IVF attempts.
This approach allows us to move forward with your IVF treatment using your own eggs while also preparing a carefully matched egg donor at the same time. In other words, you have two opportunities within a single treatment cycle.
You get the chance to become pregnant using your own eggs first. Meanwhile, embryos created through egg donation are developed in parallel and kept ready if needed. If embryos from your eggs do not develop as expected, donor embryos can be used immediately — without losing time.
This dual approach makes the tandem cycle a powerful, time-saving strategy that significantly increases your chances of success.
How the IVF Tandem Cycle Works
Your treatment begins with ovarian stimulation using personalized hormone therapy. This helps multiple eggs mature at the same time.
Once your eggs are ready, they are collected through a minor procedure called egg retrieval.
At the same time, your selected egg donor — matched based on similar physical characteristics — undergoes the same preparation so her eggs can be retrieved around the same period.
All eggs are fertilized in our IVF laboratory using your partner’s sperm. The resulting embryos are carefully monitored by our embryology team as they develop over several days.
If strong, healthy embryos develop from your own eggs, they will be selected for embryo transfer.
If embryo development from your eggs is not sufficient, embryos created through egg donation are immediately available as a seamless alternative.
No lost cycles. No unnecessary delays. Just a more efficient path toward pregnancy.
Why Patients Choose the Tandem Cycle
The IVF tandem cycle offers important advantages:
- A real opportunity to conceive using your own eggs
- A built-in backup plan with donor eggs
- Two chances within one single treatment cycle
- No need to repeat stimulation in a separate cycle
- Less emotional stress and physical burden
- Significantly higher overall success rates
This treatment is especially recommended for women with diminished ovarian reserve or concerns about egg quality.
Required Medical Tests Before Starting Treatment
To plan your treatment safely and effectively, several medical tests are required.
Tests Required from the Female Patient
The following hormone tests should be performed on day 2 or 3 of your menstrual cycle:
- FSH
- LH
- Estradiol (E2)
- Prolactin (PRL)
- Anti-Müllerian Hormone (AMH)
Additional required examinations:
- Pelvic ultrasound to evaluate the uterus and ovaries
- Hysterosalpingography (HSG) to assess the uterus and fallopian tubes
- Thyroid function tests (TSH, T3, T4)
- Fasting blood glucose
- Complete blood count
- Urea, SGPT, SGOT
- HBsAg, Anti-HCV, HIV, VDRL
- Blood type testing
For patients 45 years of age and older, the following are also required:
- Medical clearance confirming there is no contraindication to pregnancy, provided by specialists in Internal Medicine and Cardiology
- Total abdominal ultrasound
- Breast ultrasound
- A Pap smear test performed within the last 3 years
In addition to medical tests, we also need:
- Date of your last menstrual period
- Your preferred treatment timeframe
- For donor matching:
- Height
- Weight
- Occupation
- 2–3 photographs
This information helps us select a donor with closely matching physical characteristics.
Tests Required from the Male Partner
Some basic tests are also required from the partner:
- Blood type testing
- FSH, LH
- Semen analysis (Spermiogram)
- Sample collection is recommended after approximately 3 days of sexual abstinence
- HBsAg, Anti-HCV, HIV, VDRL
These evaluations help our medical team personalize your treatment plan and maximize your chances of a successful pregnancy.
