PRONATAL has opened its 11th infertility treatment clinic, located in the Croatian port city of Rijeka. The group's management believes that the seaside location and the city's relaxed atmosphere will have a positive impact on couples dealing with infertility. Besides Croatia, PRONATAL also operates in Belgrade, Serbia, and Banja Luka, Bosnia. In the Czech Republic, the group runs seven assisted reproduction centers, has its own genetics laboratory, and a prenatal diagnostics center. Annually, PRONATAL helps bring more than 2,500 children into the world.
"Our centers are led by experts in reproductive medicine, gynecology, urology and andrology, embryology, and reproductive genetics," said David Karasek, co-owner of the MEDICON PRONATAL group, adding that MIA Polyclinic is located on the Adriatic coast, giving it a unique atmosphere.
The opening of MIA Polyclinic was attended by the city's political representatives, including Mayor Marko Filipović, who emphasized the importance of this modern health center for the region. Prof. Dr. Velimir Šimunić from the Zagreb IVF Polyclinic (PRONATAL) also spoke, highlighting his role in the birth of Croatia's first IVF baby. Croatia became one of the first ten countries to successfully initiate assisted reproduction in 1982.
Foreigners account for about half of all PRONATAL clients, with Germans and people from the former Yugoslavia being the two most significant groups. "When we thought about how to be more accessible to these clients, it was a logical choice. We also knew that legislation in these countries would develop faster than, for instance, in neighboring Germany, where there's a more conservative approach to change," adds David Karasek.
In the Czech Republic, around 20 % of couples suffer from infertility, and in Croatia, it's about 18 %. This implies that infertility affects one in four to five couples. Modern medicine, however, can help up to 90 % of patients. "We approach infertility treatment comprehensively, recognizing that assisted reproduction is a process influenced by many factors," says Prof. Dr. Sanja Sibinčić, PRONATAL's regional manager.
The MIA Polyclinic space meets the highest standards not only for patients but also for the staff. The renovated clinic covers 760 m² and includes six examination rooms, a reception, an operating room, a laboratory, and other facilities.
The PRONATAL assisted reproduction centers in the Czech Republic were founded nearly thirty years ago by Assoc. Prof. MUDr. Tonko Mardešić, CSc., who has been involved in infertility treatment since 1986, when the first birth after the transfer of a thawed embryo took place under his guidance. After the sale in 2016, the clinics became part of the MEDICON PRONATAL group, one of the largest outpatient operators in Prague, with an annual turnover of CZK 25 billion and over 1,600 employees. PRONATAL and all its operations currently have around 400 employees, providing care to approximately 4,000 couples each year.
