Olga Romanova: Reprolife and the Right to Hope — How the Clinic Is Redefining Reproductive Medicine

What does it truly mean to be a doctor in a field where every decision can change a destiny? Reprolife is more than a clinic — it is a space of trust, deeply personal solutions, and profound respect for women. We speak about the journey of building the clinic, the challenges, the myths surrounding IVF, and why hope itself is part of the treatment.

Reprolife positions itself as a clinic where every case is unique. What does truly personalized care mean in reproductive medicine today — and where is the line between protocol and a doctor’s intuition?

In reproductive medicine, no two stories are ever the same. Age, ovarian reserve, hormonal profile, genetics, lifestyle, previous treatment history, and the psychological state of a couple — it is always a unique puzzle.

That is why a personalized approach is not just about choosing the right stimulation protocol or pinpointing the exact day for embryo transfer. It is the art of seeing the details: how the hormonal system responds, how the endometrium behaves, whether genetic factors are involved, and how emotionally ready a couple is to move forward.

The line between protocol and intuition is drawn very clearly:

Protocol is science, evidence, and safety.
Intuition is experience — the ability to recognize an exception and say, “For this woman, we will do things differently.”

We do not begin with protocol — we begin with understanding. Sometimes the right first step is restoring the natural cycle, correcting hormonal imbalances, regulating metabolism, improving the condition of the endometrium, or addressing male factor infertility. Sometimes the best treatment is not IVF at all. And sometimes, IVF is the only truly effective path — and then we move forward with clarity and confidence.

At Reprolife, we unite three key elements: the couple’s personal story, clinical precision, and deep respect for the human being.

Your statistics are striking: a 95% pregnancy rate after treatment and 78% successful cryo-cycles per single chromosomally healthy embryo transfer. What drives such consistent results?

First and foremost — a comprehensive approach to every couple, taking into account endocrine health, correction of deficiencies, male factor infertility, and the full history of previous treatments.

It is true teamwork between a reproductive specialist, an andrologist, an embryologist — and later, an obstetrician-gynecologist during pregnancy. What matters deeply is that our team is continuously evolving, implementing new technologies — and this shared growth unites and inspires us.

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It is also about investment: in embryology, equipment, technologies, and constant education. It is about building trust and sincere relationships with our patients, where we are bound by one shared goal — the birth of healthy children into loving families.

And importantly, even after realizing their dream of parenthood, many of our couples continue to entrust us with their endocrine health. With many of them, we build deep, warm, lasting relationships.

Which technologies or methods represent the true breakthroughs of recent years — and which are already implemented at Reprolife?

I value what genuinely increases the chances of a healthy pregnancy — not what merely sounds impressive at conferences.

For me, the real breakthroughs include:

  • Genetic testing to ensure the transfer of chromosomally and genetically healthy embryos; 
  • The effectiveness of fertility preservation programs for delayed motherhood and fatherhood, allowing reproductive cells or embryos to be stored for future use; 
  • Precision-based embryo work: time-lapse culturing, accurate quality assessment, and optimized timing for transfer; 
  • The “freeze-all” strategy and cryo-protocols when they are in a woman’s best interest — choosing the safest and most effective moment for transfer; 
  • Individualized stimulation protocols based on genetic predispositions, risks of hyperstimulation, and low ovarian reserve; 
  • Advanced endometrial care: diagnosis and treatment of chronic endometritis, precise determination of the implantation window, and microbiome support. 

These are the approaches we systematically apply at Reprolife.

What was your personal path to creating Reprolife — and what challenges did you face?

Reprolife opened in 2016 — just one month after the birth of my second child.

My goal was simple: to unite people around shared values — continuous growth, high performance, and deep respect for the patient.

Transitioning from being solely a physician to becoming a system-builder was not easy. Suddenly, you are responsible not only for clinical decisions, but for everything — from embryology to the culture of communication within the team. Yet this became my most meaningful challenge.

Today, Reprolife is not just a clinic. It is a space of people who consciously choose professionalism, humanity, and development every single day.

When did you know that reproductive medicine was your true calling?

It was not one moment — it was several stories that merged into one clear feeling: I am exactly where I am meant to be.

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My career began over 20 years ago in endocrine gynecology. Maintaining hormonal balance plays a crucial role in reproductive health.

From the very beginning, I often worked with complex cases. These situations pushed me to prepare intensely, to study deeply. I remember the first truly difficult couples — years of infertility, losses, failed attempts at other clinics.

And when, after all those years, they return holding a baby in their arms — that feeling stays with you forever. You carry it forward, because you realize how deeply you are connected to other people’s destinies. It is profoundly inspiring.

How do you maintain the balance between medical precision and human empathy?

In reproductive medicine, without precision there is no result — and without empathy, there is no trust. For me, they do not oppose one another. They complete one another.

The balance lies in not promising miracles where the chance is objectively low, while also never taking hope away when it still exists.

I always speak openly about evidence-based statistics, risks, and realistic forecasts. And over time, I have come to understand that beyond knowledge and experience, a doctor’s character, their way of thinking and decision-making, also plays a vital role.

How do you work with patients after years of failed attempts? How important is the emotional dimension?

These people come to us not only with medical records — but with immense exhaustion and lost trust.

Our first step is to restore a subjective sense of control: to explain what is happening, what we will do next, why exactly this strategy, and what the long-term plan looks like.

We:

  • Analyze previous protocols; 
  • Identify where the maximum was done — and where it wasn’t; 
  • Openly discuss realistic chances. 

The emotional aspect is paramount. A person must feel both faith and trust. And that from this point forward, we are a team with one shared goal — the birth of a healthy child in their family.

What myths do you encounter most often — and which would you like to dispel once and for all?

The most common myths:

“IVF is a guarantee.”
Modern reproductive technologies offer tremendous possibilities — but this is not magic. Even the best clinic cannot promise 100%.

“I still have time — I’ll give birth after 40.”
It is possible. But ovarian biology does not always follow our plans. That is why today, the most effective strategy is fertility preservation at a younger age — storing eggs or embryos for the future through delayed parenthood programs.

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“If it didn’t work the first time, there’s no point in trying again.”
This is not true. Very often, the analysis of the first failure becomes the key to future success.

“Everything depends only on the woman.”
Male factor infertility accounts for up to 50% of all cases. We always treat the couple — never just the woman.

My message is simple: fewer myths, more knowledge, and verified information — along with consultation from an experienced reproductive specialist based on your individual situation.

How do you personally define success in your profession?

Performance metrics matter to me — I love analytics and study them regularly. But true success is not a percentage. It is people’s stories.

When you receive a photo of a baby born after years of struggle. When a woman writes, “I had already lost faith, but you didn’t let us give up.” When a man who once feared even taking a fertility test enters your office holding his child.

For me, success is the moment when a person stops being a patient and becomes a mother or a father. Statistics are simply the language through which we confirm it to the world.

We build our team around people who feel a personal mission — to help others become happy parents.

If a woman came to you at a breaking point — unsure whether to keep fighting or let go of her dream — what would you say to her as a doctor and as a woman?

As a doctor, I would first do everything possible to honestly answer the key question: Is there still a real medical chance?

If there is a chance — even a small one — we will fight. With respect for everything already endured, but with a new strategy and a meaningful, well-designed plan.

As a woman, I would say this: you have the right to be exhausted. But you also have the right to hope — and to have a team beside you that will not let you give up too early. Believe in yourself, trust your doctors, and do not surrender while medical possibilities remain. Because modern medicine is capable of so much today. And we will do everything in our power to ensure that one day, you hold your child in your arms.