IVF Treatment in Bulgaria
Start IVF with Dr. Meftune Shefketova through a clear plan, close support, and honest guidance.
Trying to get pregnant can be exhausting. You wait. You hope. You search for answers.
You do not need a complicated explanation right now. You need to know where you stand, what your options are, and what the next step should be.
Dr. Meftune Shefketova is a reproductive medicine specialist in Sofia. She helps women and couples understand their fertility situation and build a treatment plan around their age, tests, medical history, and goals.
You get clear guidance, close monitoring, and direct access to your doctor.
What is IVF?
IVF means in vitro fertilisation.
Eggs are collected from the ovaries. They are fertilised with sperm in the lab. Then one embryo is transferred into the uterus.
The goal is simple: to give the egg and sperm the best chance to meet and develop into an embryo.
You can also read more about ICSI here.
Why Bulgaria for IVF?
Bulgaria offers modern IVF labs, experienced fertility specialists, a clear medical and legal process, lower costs than the UK and Germany, and easier access for international patients.
Who IVF May Help
IVF may be suitable if you have tried to get pregnant for 12 months without success, have blocked or damaged fallopian tubes, endometriosis, low ovarian reserve or low AMH, a partner with sperm quality issues, recurrent miscarriage, or if you are single and need a donor programme.
Read more about infertility diagnosis or read more about donor treatment.
How IVF Works, Step by Step
- Consultation and tests: Dr. Shefketova reviews your medical history, previous tests, ultrasound findings, hormone results, and sperm analysis.
- Ovarian stimulation: You take hormone injections for around 10 to 14 days. Your response is monitored with ultrasound.
- Egg retrieval: A short procedure under light anaesthesia. The eggs go directly to the IVF lab.
- Fertilisation: The eggs are fertilised using standard IVF or ICSI.
- Embryo development: Embryos are monitored in the lab for 3 to 5 days.
- Embryo transfer: One embryo is transferred into the uterus. It is quick and usually painless.
- The two-week wait: This is often the hardest part emotionally. Dr. Shefketova and the team stay in contact with you.
- Pregnancy test: A blood test is done around 12 to 14 days after embryo transfer. You then receive clear guidance on what happens next.
IVF Success Rates
IVF success depends on age, egg quality, sperm quality, embryo quality, uterus health, and previous fertility history.
According to ESHRE European IVF Monitoring data, success rates per embryo transfer are approximately 30 to 35 percent under 35, 15 to 30 percent between 35 and 40, and under 15 percent over 40 using own eggs.
Source: ESHRE European IVF Monitoring Consortium, 2021 data, published 2024.
No doctor can promise pregnancy. What you should get is a realistic assessment, clear advice, and a plan built around your case.
Risks of IVF
Most women tolerate IVF well. The main medical risk is ovarian hyperstimulation syndrome, known as OHSS. Severe OHSS is uncommon, around 1 to 2 percent of cycles.
Your response is closely monitored throughout stimulation. All risks are explained before treatment begins.
Why Choose Dr. Shefketova?
Dr. Shefketova brings 16 years of experience in reproductive medicine, including building and leading a full IVF department from the ground up.
She offers individual treatment planning, care in Bulgarian, Turkish, and English, and experience with international patients from the UK, Germany, Turkey, and beyond.
She is a member of ESHRE.
Learn more about Dr. Shefketova here.
International IVF Patients
If you live outside Bulgaria, you can start with an online consultation.
Dr. Shefketova can review your history, tests, and previous treatment before you travel, so you understand your options before making plans.
Read more for international patients here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is IVF painful?
Most women tolerate the injections well. Egg retrieval is done under anaesthesia. Embryo transfer is usually painless.
How much does IVF cost in Bulgaria?
IVF in Bulgaria is usually lower cost than in the UK, Germany, and many Western European countries. View pricing here.
Can I have IVF as a single woman?
Yes. Bulgarian law allows IVF for single women using donor sperm.
Can women in same-sex relationships have IVF in Bulgaria?
Bulgarian law allows single women to use donor sperm. Legal parenthood and partner rights should be discussed with a legal adviser before treatment.
How many IVF cycles will I need?
It depends on your age, test results, egg quality, sperm quality, and embryo development. Some patients conceive in the first cycle. Others need more than one attempt.
Do you treat international patients?
Yes. You can start with an online consultation before travelling to Bulgaria.
Book a Consultation
Take the first step with a clear medical plan. Book a consultation with Dr. Meftune Shefketova in Sofia or online.