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Assisting Nature
Assisting Nature - Clinic building

Assisting Nature

Obstetrics and Gynaecology
5.0
5.0/5
Expertise: Human Reproduction
Active: Since 2013
Languages Spoken  English, French, Italian, Polish, Greek

Biography

Assisting Nature is a boutique Fertility Clinic located in Thessaloniki, Greece. The clinic operates since 2013, while our team of specialists has over 20 years of experience infertility treatments.

Our team

Number of Doctors: 7                    

Number of Embryologists: 4

Number of IVF Cycles annually: 1177

Our team of specialists are highly trained and experienced in the field of Reproductive Medicine and passionate about what they do. 
•    They have studied and worked at the most prestigious universities internationally and are distinguished members of the global reproductive medical community. 
•    Their research has been published in some of the most distinguished medical journals and they are often invited to give lectures worldwide. 
•    Their knowledge, passion, and dedication have resulted in a high level of performance and success rates over the years.

State of the ART Laboratory

The Embryology Laboratory at Assisting Nature is at the core of our IVF Clinic. Our highly trained Embryologists work to determine the best environment, technology, and equipment that meets the highest standards of excellence. They also engage in continuous monitoring and quality control to improve these standards. Their expertise and dedication to lab operations continuously produce high-quality results enabling them to achieve some of the highest live birth rates. 

  • ISO Standards
  • State of the art equipment
    • Benchtop Incubators allow continuous control and stability of all the important parameters and ensure the maintenance of the ideal conditions in an embryo culture
    • Time-Lapse incubator. A time-lapse incubator contains an intergraded video system that allows the continuous digital imaging of the embryos. In this way, embryo cultures can be assessed in a detailed and constant manner, since the fertilization day and until the time of the embryo transfer. Time-lapse incubators offer the advantage of a substantial limitation in embryo handling and condition disruption. Moreover, they offer to the embryologists new morphokinetic values of embryo assessment, to optimize the selection of embryos that can lead to pregnancy.
    • RI Witness using RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology to track and record patient samples at each step of the ART process works as a safeguard and a reassurance for both the clinic and the patients.
  • Log and Guard Alarm systems. Quality Control (QC) and Quality Management Systems in IVF, with a continuous monitoring and alarming system, guarantees uninterrupted optimal culture conditions for the embryos.
  • Hepa filters providing high quality filtrated air under positive pressure. 
  • Certified culture media 


International support team

Our dedicated team of highly experienced fertility coordinators will make your treatment abroad a smooth and pleasant experience. From your very first contact to your way back home after your treatment has been completed, we will be by your side, taking care of all your needs. We will do our utmost to provide you with complete assistance throughout the whole process and will continue to support you after your safe return home.

Patient Care at Assisting Nature

Though childbearing seems a very simple reproduction process, one out of six couples faces difficulties conceiving naturally. Assisting Nature team intervenes by initially seeking the cause of the problem. There in after, the appropriate treatment is provided where possible, otherwise every contemporary method of assisted reproduction is implemented. Depending on each case, methods vary from IUI, NC, and ICSI to more sophisticated methods such as IMSI, time-lapse embryo-culture etc. 
The birth of a healthy child, the safety of the woman during the entire process and the psychological health of the couple are our priorities. We always ensure our patients’ maximum well-being, by applying the best possible assisted reproduction techniques. 
Every patient has different needs, and we are here to provide individualized protocols by medical excellence. With us you will realize that infertility does not mean sterility and you will soon embrace parenthood.

The clinic has been awarded with the BUREAU VERITAS certification for Assisted Reproduction Services – Maintenance and operation of a cryopreservation bank.

Academic Career

Evangelos Papanikolaou | MD, PhD Prof Papanikolaou Evaggelos, MD, PhD, is a Reproductive Medicine Specialist. Dr. Papanikolaou is a world class recognized Specialist in Fertility treatment and was appointed as a Lecturer of Obstetrics & Gynaecology in Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece since 2015. He is ESHRE and EBCOG accredited as Reproductive Specialist. He obtained his MD degree (1994) and became specialist in Obstetrics and Gynecology (2002) at the Medical School of Ioannina, University of Ioannina, Greece. From 2002 till September 2005 he was trained in Reproductive Medicine in the Centre of Reproductive Medicine at the University Hospital of VUB in Brussels under prof. P. Devroey, Prof Van Steirteghem and Prof Tournaye. Eventually, at 2005 he was appointed as a consultant in the above University clinic until end of 2006. The above university center is the pioneer clinic in the world regarding IVF and male infertility, since there was discovered ICSI, a technique which changed the root of in vitro fertilization in many aspects, leading in huge improvement in pregnancy rates. He is granted two PhD diplomas and one Master in Reproductive Endocrinology. The first PhD degree was granted to him at the University of Ioannina in 2004. His thesis was “Premature ovarian failure and endothelial dysfunction” and his supervisor was the renowned Reproductive Endocrinologist Prof Kalantaridou S. In 2008 he became Doctor of Fhilosophy at the Free University of Brussels and his thesis was “Blastocyst culture in IVF’. He also obtained the degree of Master in Medical and Pharmaceutical Research from the Dutch speaking Free University of Brussels (VUB). An educator in the reproductive endocrinology field, Dr. Papanikolaou has mentored students in the Universities Masters Program and has received several honors for his work. Recently, he is participating in the Master program in Reproductive Medicine at the University of Alexandroupoli. He was trained in Reproductive Endoscopy, Laparoscopy and Hysteroscopy in the University of Leuven in Belgium. He has performed more than 1000 hysteroscopies and he is a specialist in curing congenital uterus abnormalities like Septate Uterus.

Robert Najdecki MD, PhD is a Reproductive Gynaecology Specialist. His experience in diagnosis and treatment of fertility disorders, such as endoscopic surgery is long and extensive and includes more than 6000 stimulated cycles. He graduated and received his medical degree from Medical School at the University of Warsaw in 1985 and his residency training in obstetrics and gynecology at Solec University Hospital in Warsaw. He completed the reproductive endocrinology and infertility fellowship at The Genetic Department of Children’s Memorial Health Institute in Warsaw – Poland as a member of the IVF team in 1992. One of the most important achievements of his team/ led by Prof. Wisniewski / was the second baby birth through IVF technique in Poland. In 1989, he obtained his PhD in the University of Warsaw, with his dissertation titled “Evaluation of maturity of oocytes after stimulation through IVF method.” His dissertation includes studies of multiple medication protocols in order to induce ovulation, regarding the morphological maturity in human oocytes after collection. As a reproductive gynaecologist, he finds this experience in embryology to be a very crucial in the process of improving patients care. During these pioneering years, Dr. Najdecki was deeply involved in research for a “new method” for oocyte pick up. After many years of laparoscopic OPU, he successfully introduced the first vaginal, ultrasound guided oocyte pick up, which resulted in second IVF baby being born in the nation. This first success led the way to a new era in IVF techniques that goes on until today. He has also been active in fertility research, publishing on topics ranging from fibroids, endometriosis to ovulatory dysfunction and ovarian ageing.

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Professional Experience

From 2007-2010 Dr. Papanikolaou directed the IVF centre “Biogenesis” in Thessaloniki, Greece. Since 2010 he became the director in the Human Reproduction & Genetics Foundation. In 2012-2013, he became the manager of the IVF Unit in Royale Hayat Hospital in Kuwait and Emirates. Dr. Papanikolaou has been at the forefront of several innovations and improvements in IVF treatment and is a main visionary and founder of Assisting Nature IVF Unit. The goal of the new practice was simple—to provide cutting edge fertility care in an environment that supported patients’ physical, emotional, and financial needs—and to make future business and clinical decisions based on what is in the best interest of the patients.

After moving to Greece Dr Najdecki was appointed Scientific Director of “Iatriki Erevna” IVF Unit / Medical Research/Clinic in Thessaloniki (1988 – 2005). In 2005, Dr Najdecki joined the clinical team at “Embryolab” IVF Unit in Thessaloniki and spent 8 years supporting the team in egg collections, embryo transfers and endoscopic surgeries. From 2013, Dr Najdecki is a founding partner, scientific director of Assisting Nature Assisted Reproduction Unit in Thessaloniki. In addition to his clinical practice, Dr Najdecki supervises the extensive research activities and academic ventures of the practice and he is currently holding the position of QMS director of the Unit. Many years of intensive clinical practice and academic research have shown him the limitations of conventional IVF. He is not only a strong advocate of minimal stimulation IVF protocols (Natural, Minimal, UltraMini-IVF,) for indicated patients but is an accomplished surgeon for minimally invasive procedures as well. Dr.Najdecki still actively continues his clinical research and educational activity in the field of advanced office hysteroscopy for reproductive patients. At the same time, he is constantly pursuing the development of new medical devices, novel medications, and advanced diagnostic approaches.

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Publications

Dr. Papanikolaou is honored to publish his research in the most high ranked medical journal in the world “The New England Journal of Medicine” and his research has been cited as one of the 10 more read in our field! He has published more than 70 articles in peer reviewed journals and he acts as an external reviewer in several leading journals in Human Reproduction. He is invited lecturer in several international congresses around the world. He is actively participating in multicentre studies with leading professors in Europe and USA. He has authored many chapters in international textbooks regarding the implementation of the new IVF techniques in current practice. Dr Papanikolaou current research interests include Blastocyst embryo culture, Preimplantation genetic diagnosis, OHSS, Reproductive Endoscopy, and endometrial receptivity.He is accredited for treating male infertility problems and especially severe OAT and Azoospermia in men. Andrology techniques are involved in his every day practice and recently he is specializing into retrieving spermatozoa from the testicular tissue via the all new micro-TESE technique.

During his career, Dr Najdecki has published over 25 scientific papers. He has led several large research studies and contributed to publications in top peer-reviewed fertility journals, including Fertility and Sterility and Human Reproduction. In addition, he has appeared as guest speaker at numerous scientific meetings and conferences. Dr Najdecki research interests include diminished ovarian reserve and AMH relationship, GnRh Triggering, Antagonist stimulation protocols, Office advanced Hysteroscopy for infertile patients, QMS in IVF Units, single embryo transfer, fertility preservation, preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD).

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European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) (169) American Society of Reproductive Medicine (ASRM) (170) Belgian Society for Reproductive Medicine (BSRM) (246) Dr. Papanikolaou is an active member of the Belgian Society of Reproductive Medicine (BSRM), European Society in Reproductive Medicne (ESHRE) as well as in the American Society (ASRM). He is honored to be invited as a distinguished speaker at YALE University in 2014, USA. Robert Najdecki is an active member of the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology (ESHRE) and the American Society for Reproductive Medicine (ASRM).

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Certificates

Treatments

Egg Freezing

Treatment price: 2300€ + 500€ for oocyte cryopreservation for the first 5 years.

Oocyte cryopreservation is, nowadays, a popular procedure which gives women the probability to create a family whenever they wish.

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From 2800€

ICSI (IntraCytoplasmic Sperm Injection)

5 stages of ICSI procedure:

  • Ovarian stimulation which lasts 12-14 days and the stimulation protocol is personalized upon each couple’s medical history.
  • Oocyte collection that is performed intervaginally with mild sedation and ultrasound monitoring.
  • Fertilization.
  • Embryo evaluation, on the first day after oocyte selection.
  • Embryo transfer. If everything goes well, the number of embryos to be transferred will be decided by the doctors, taking account the age of the woman, embryo quality and her medical history.
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From 3400€

IVF

5 stages of IVF procedure:

  • Ovarian stimulation which lasts 12-14 days and the stimulation protocol is personalized upon each couple’s medical history.
  • Oocyte collection that is performed intravaginally with mild sedation and ultrasound monitoring.
  • Fertilization. This represents the main laboratory stage of patient’s attempt.
  • Embryo evaluation. On the first day after oocyte collection, fertilization checking occurs.
  • Embryo transfer. If everything goes well, the number of embryos to be transferred will be decided by the doctors, taking account the age of the woman, embryo quality and her medical history.
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From 3400€

Egg Donation

It is a fertility treatment involving the donation of oocytes from an anonymous donor to a couple or a single woman.

Requirements:

  • An initial visit to the clinic in Thessaloniki, in order for the patient to be informed about the oocyte. donation program and the Greek legislation, while performing all the necessary tests by the medical team.
  • After the donor selection, patient is required to start treatment a hormone and ultrasound follow up of their endometrium, either on the clinic or in their home country.
  • After the endometrium is ready, patient must come again in the clinic for the embryo transfer, where all available oocytes are fertilized with the male partner’s sperm.

 

Assisting Nature selects the most appropriate donor based on:

  • ovarian reserve
  • age
  • appearance
  • educational and social status.
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From 6200€

Medical Center Address
Thessaloniki, Greece
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Medical Center Address
Thessaloniki, Greece
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Reviews for Assisting Nature

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Assisting Nature
Obstetrics and Gynaecology
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